Girl Meets LUCAYA
by gymgal1996
Summary: LUCAYA!-After Maya's Dad dies in a fatal car crash, she kisses Lucas on a whim and her world spins out of control. Not only is she confused about her feelings, but Charlie, the same Charlie who pretended to like Riley and then attacked Maya, the same Charlie who Lucas "took care of," is back at school.
1. Chapter 1

Lucas wasn't sure if he heard her right. Did she really just say that? He could still hear her in his head and that bugged him. _Don't Lucas_ , and then the words that jarred him, _the only reason we were really friends was because of Riley, right?_ _It's okay huckleberry. Let's just stick to our own lives. Your's will be better without me anyway._

The whole things made Lucas furious. How could she think that? How could she think a years worth of them hanging out—even if she did spend most of the time making fun at him—was nothing? How could she think that he was better off without her. If anything, she is what kept him from returning back to his old hard-headed self. In many situations where Lucas could feel anger rising against the back of his neck, Maya was the one, and the only one, who could get him to calm down, rationalize. Riley was too happy all the time, and while Lucas loved her for that, he knew she didn't have Maya's instinct for trouble. Once, she gave him a black eye just to get off of a kid at school.

Lucas didn't get like that often now, but back in Texas it got him kicked out of school. And this situation, being angry—really angry—at **Maya** of all people, was not good.

"How can you think that we're nothing?" he had said after. She had turned back, and he could still make out the bruise fading from her forearm. He hated that it was still there. Charlie, a kid in their grade who everyone had thought liked Riley, was really into Maya. He cornered her and tried… Lucas couldn't even think about it without needing to hit something.

"Let's just give it time? Alright Sundance?" Maya said with a soft grin. She never fully opened her mouth when she smiled. Lucas hated how she held herself back like that, never letting herself be happy.

Then she had left, which is what lead Lucas here, knocking on her bedroom window at three in the morning. It was dark inside and for a moment he thought she might be asleep. Then the window cranked open and small hands were lifting it up for him to climb through.

Lucas had never been inside Maya's room before. What he had seen from a distance was that she was messy and most of the art pieces were strewn across the drawers. The thing he loved most was her ceiling, painted to resemble the night sky.

Brightness flashed and Lucas realized she had turned the lights on. He took a moment to adjust before looking at her. Her hair, thick and dark went down in waves to her waist. And her eyes were darker than her hair, meeting his blue ones almost at eye level.

"Riley?" Lucas took a step back. "What are you doing here?" The last time they'd spoken, they had agreed to stop seeing each other, as friends or otherwise, at least for a little while. Given a couple weeks, he knew they would be good again. But Lucas had still showed up at Riley's party the next day, not wanting to miss her fifteenth birthday. And although she was happy to see him there, Maya was not.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" she replied, eyes narrowed in confusion.

Lucas looked around for Maya, trying to remember the real reason he had came. "We got in an argument."

"Oh," Riley sighed.

"Oh," Lucas mimicked and he couldn't help but smile when he was around Riley. She was a good friend. Maya was…

"She's missing," Riley blurted and blinked at him. Thunder cracked outside, like a play setting the scene for it's next act. Lucas stared in confusion. _Who?_ "Ms. Hart called my mom at midnight and said Maya's father was in a car accident. She's at my house with my mom now because Maya took off and they keep thinking she'll go there."

"Is he alright? Maya's dad?" Lucas could feel the pressure of those words. Riley seemed to have the good end of the stick in life, and Maya was stuck with the short end. Lucas knew Maya would find a way to blame this on herself, the universe being at odds with her.

"No," Riley exhaled. "He's not."

Lucas was out the window, cooked by the rain, before Riley could stop him. He knew if he stayed and thought up a logical plan of how to find her, they would go together. Lucas wouldn't let Riley go off by herself at three in the morning. But without a master plan, he could go faster, check more places.

He was only going to check one place though. Because she was there. Her blonde hair was darker damp and she had her knees hugged against her on the bench. It was times like these that made Lucas hyperaware of how small the girl was. She was almost an entire foot shorter than him, but her personality usually made him forget.

She's come to the Art Gallery just a mile away from her house. Lucas had seen her here once before when he was running, but he hadn't stopped to say hi. She had this expression of concentration and he didn't want to be the one who wiped it away.

"Lucas?" Maya sniffed and it was an ache to hear his real name pass through her lips like this. She didn't have the energy to keep up her act of being careless.

Lucas sat down on the bench without saying a word. It was too impossible. Everything he thought of saying sounded wrong and stupid. Maya leaned her head against his shoulder. They were both wet and freezing and he only hesitated a moment before sliding his arm around her.

"I hated him," she whispered, "Why do I care? I shouldn't care."

"He was your Dad. No matter how shitty of a father he was, he was your Dad." Lucas knew she would really have to lose all hope now. Because he also had seen different sides of Maya, like the hopeful one. And he was positive that that part of her would have someday wished her father would come back.

Maya's head turned up and Lucas looked down to see how blue her eyes were from all the crying. She lifted her her head and pressed her lips against his. For a moment, Lucas couldn't remember his name or how old he was. He only knew one thing and that was that Maya Hart's lips were on his and he wanted them to stay there.

Her kiss was hot, a combination of sweet and sour gummies that change flavor. Unlike kissing Riley, who has been gentle and soft, Maya was a bottle rocket, going off and digging her nails into the hard muscles of his arms.

Lucas jerked back, realizing that this was an unstable Maya. He wouldn't let himself take advantage of her like that. His southern morals taught him better. "We shouldn't," he gasped, his breath already ragged.

Maya sunk back on the bench and turned her face away. "Just go Lucas."

Lucas hadn't been expecting her to say that. He's been expecting her to thank him or freak out for hurting Riley. But she was upset and that was all.

Maya began to crying again, this time Lucas the cause of it. "It's just Riley," Lucas started.

Maya's head whipped to the side. "I don't wanna hear about Riley right now, okay?" she snapped. "She has a family and money and gets good grades. She has everything and I never resent her for it, but right now I do. So sue me if I really don't give a crap if I kiss you right now, Lucas."

She held his gaze and all Lucas could see was the mixture of frustration and fire in her eyes.

"You're not going to leave?" she continued. "Fine! I will." She got up and was mid step when Lucas grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in front of him. He locked his arms behind her legs, keeping her steady.

"I just don't want to do things for the wrong reasons," he said, stroking the back of her knee with his thumb. "Are you doing this because you like me or because your angry and upset?"

Maya folded her arms across her chest. "Why can't it be both?"

"So you like me?" Lucas smirked and pulled her closer.

Maya rolled her eyes. "Why can't we do anything without thinking first? My life could end at any moment and I should do what I want when I want."

Lucas cocked a brow and Maya scowled. "And what you want is to kiss me?"

"And what I want is for you to stop talking," she rephrased and kissed him again. This time he didn't have the strength in him to stop her.


	2. Chapter 2

"You!" shouted Maya across the hallway. Lucas was there, standing casually beside Zay. Their eyes met and Lucas pushed off the wall, meeting Maya in the middle of the walkway. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and dragged him toward the janitors closet.

"Out Harley!" Maya snapped and he bolted, leaving Maya and Lucas alone, the door banging shut behind them. "Who did you tell? I swear on RIley, if you—"

"Calm down Short Stack," Lucas said and grabbed her wrist to loosen the grip she had. They were close and Lucas knew if he took a step toward her she would ram into the shelf of cleaning supplies behind her. "No, I didn't tell anyone that you kissed me."

Maya breathed a sigh of relief, but it was clear her guilty conscience hadn't been put at ease. "It was a mistake." She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself.

"Was it?" Lucas challenged.

"Shut up Huckleberry. It was, and you know it."

They hadn't talked to each other in a week. Not since her fathers funeral and even then it was Riley who did most of the comforting, not Lucas. He wished he could've, but the closer he got to Maya, the farther away she got. This—her walking up to him directly—caught him completely off guard.

Lucas wasn't about to let her fall back into her old ways though, not when she had been opening up to him about her feelings. He leaned down and places his lips on top of hers, feeling her tense and then loosen as his hands gripped her hips. She pulled him closer, inhaling him, and cleaning wipes and paper towels spilled off the shelves.

Maya kissed him like she had been born to do it. The thought of her lips on anyone else was unimaginable.

"Stop," Maya whispered, but she didn't sound like she meant it. Lucas kept going and Maya changed her mind. "Don't stop. _Never_ stop."

Lucas would have loved to except they would be late for class if they kept this up. He set her on one of the shelves and Maya locked her legs behind his back. He fumbled with the zipper on her jacket.

The door opened and Maya and Lucas pulled away, Maya's head slamming into the metal on the shelf above her.

Mr. Mathews had on a look of disappointment, along with sincere hurt. His daughter didn't deserve this. "Both of you, back in the class room. Now."


	3. Chapter 3

Mr. Mattew's was talking about god knows what, but Maya couldn't seem to pay the least bit of attention. Not when Huckleberry was burning a hold in the back of her head with his eyes.

"Maya?"

She jerked a little and glanced sideways a Riley. An overwhelming sense of guilt settled in the pit of her stomach. How could she have done this to her best friend? Riley and Lucas were meant to be together and here she was, messing up their story. It was just one more thing to show why Riley was better off without her.

Lucas thought she was a charity case, just like everyone else did. They felt sorry for her and so that was why they pretended to like her company so much.

Riley made a frowny face."What's wrong?"

"Bay window?"

Riley nodded.

Mr. Matters didn't call on Maya or Lucas for the rest of the day. He didn't smile at them or stray off the lesson to help them figure out what was right for this situation. He just ignored it, like he hadn't even seen them going at it in the janitors closet.

Lunch went by slow, Riley spending most of her time talking to Lucas and Farkle telling Miah about how cars can fly or something. Every once in awhile Lucas would look over at Maya, and she would pretend not to notice.

In the bay window, Riley sat upright while Maya got up the courage to rip the bandaid off instead of dragging it painfully out. If things went as planned, Riley would be hurt, but she would also be in shock. She would probably not want to be friends with Maya, but Maya couldd live with that. Riley would be better without her. Maya, on the other hand, would have to learn to keep herself out of trouble.

"The night my father died, I kissed Lucas and today we kissed in school and your father saw. I'm sorry Riles, I never meant to hurt you and neither did Lucas. I practically begged him to kiss me and he probably only did it because I was crying and pathetically desperate." Well, at least the first time they kissed. Today, she wasn't sure what had gotten into him. "I'm really sorry Riles," she repeated.

There. She had said it.

"Maya…" Riley started. "Lucas and I aren't dating anymore."

"So? I still broke girl code and—"

"Yes you did," Riley agreed. "And maybe if I was still hung up on Lucas I'd be really angry with you," she sighed. "But I'm not. Lucas is…wow looking, and he's super nice, but I want to keep him around for a long time and I don't think that's going to happen if we date."

Maya narrowed her eyes in suspicious. "And…" She knew her best friend was leaving something out.

Riley gave a mouth-open smile. "And the night of my surprise party, Farkle stayed to help clean up and he spent the night. Dad said it was too late for him to walk home. Anyway, we spent the entire night talking. Not usual Farkle talk where he rants and we have no idea what he's saying, but serious talk just between the two of us.

"He's amazing Peaches. We've always known that, but I don't think I ever put together what it would be like to be with Farkle. He also wore the black leather jacket again and I told him I loved it and he gave it to me for no reason."

Maya grinned. She had been expecting to be thrown out not having a good time with Riley. "He gave it to you because he loves you Riles," Maya put an arm around Riley's shoulder. "as do I."

"So this thing with you and Lucas? Is it serious? Like are you going to date?"

"No," Maya laughed. "So far we just have a habit of falling onto each others mouths. We don't like one another."

Riley leaned her head onto Maya's shoulder. "I totally get a get-out-of-trouble-with-Maya-free Card for you kissing Lucas though."

Maya rolled her eyes, but squeezed Riley tighter. How had she gotten so lucky in the best friend department. "You got it."

"Oh," Riley said, sitting up. Her dark eyes met Maya's and they were filled with worry. Riley had never looked this freaked before and Maya ad the urge to call Lucas and tell him to get his butt over here and make it go away. He could do that, and he could protect her. Farkle's arm's were like toothpicks. "There's something _I_ need to tell _you_ now."

Maya prepared herself. "What is it?"

"My father told me, Charlie will be back at school tomorrow."

Maya sucked in a breath. She wasn't used to being scared of anything or anyone, but she had to admit that Charlie's name made the hair on her arms stand up. He had pretended to be head over heels for Riley, but in the end, he sought out Maya, getting her along by the exit under the stairway. As soon as Charlie had started to creep her out, she had dialed Lucas's number and hit call, but Charlie knocked it out of her hands. She prayed that at least someone would hear them.

Maya could still feel his hand cupping the back of her neck and his lips pressing against her jaw line. His other hand hand was holding her mouth shut and Maya had tried desperately to pull his away uselessly. Charlie wasn't a big guy. Not the way Lucas was. But Maya was small and not even half as strong as she seemed. Charlie had his hands dug into her backside, when Lucas showed it.

He went ape shit and Maya had to make herself a physical barrier and punch Lucas before he stopped. They want to Mr. Matthew's and he took it up with the school board. Last Maya had heard, he was going to court.

"Apparently, they turned the case away. Not enough evidence." Riley gazed at Maya worriedly and so Maya gave a small smile for her benefit.

"I'm sure it will all be fine." The words burned her windpipe. Se wasn't sure of anything, only that with Charlie back , she wanted Lucas by her side every minute of the day. Not for her safety, but because the kind of temper Lucas had was one that never settles. The moment he saw Charlie it would be all fist-in-faces. She wouldn't let him get suspended again because of her.


	4. Chapter 4

THANKS FOR ALL THE SWEET COMMENTS! PLEASE REVIEW!

Lucas was pacing outside of Maya's front door and when she opened it up, the both of them looking surprised at the encounter, and if anything Lucas appearing more confused than Maya like he wasn't sure how he'd gotten there in the first place.

"Ranger rick?" Maya bowed her head. "What are you doing here?" She had a guess, but she wasn't sure. He didn't know Charlie was coming back—a fact the gang had purposely left out, afraid of how he would react. They'd planned to tell him this morning and prep him for the meeting.

Maya smoothed down her light blue sundress and gazed down at her cowboy boots. The shoes Texan's wore were cute and provided her a little extra height, but she prayed for a miracle that Lucas wouldn't notice.

"He's back. Did you know that? He'll be sitting in class today, like nothing ever happened Maya? How the fuck did he manage his way out of that, did they see the way you looked afterword and what he did to you! That bastard should rot it—"

"Stop!" Maya cut him off. Apparently Huckleberry was more worked up than she was about today and that wasn't a good sign. "Slow down there Bucky. He's basically on parol. He's not going to try anything on me, _trust me_."

Lucas did _not_ trust her. Charlie was unpredictable and crazy. Lucas had yet to tell Maya about the pictures they'd found in Charlie's locker when they cleaned the space. Turns out, Charlie had been stalking her. Hard core stalking, like writing down every conversation she had with him. And there were photos of her. Everywhere. Getting on the subway. Climbing out of Riley's window. Standing by the punch bowl at the semi formal. Maya had gotten lucky last time with Lucas hearing the muffling on the phone and having seen her just past him in the hallway ti the staircase. He was afraid, terrified really, that if it happened again, he wouldn't be around to stop it.

"Let me be your boyfriend," he pleaded and Maya burst out a cackle that had Lucas feeling idiotic.

"You're insane. You know that?" She locked the front door and Lucas hurried to catch up on the path she took to Riley's.

"Just temporally. He'll be less likely to come after you if thinks you're with me."

Maya huffed in exasperation. "I don't need a body guard, Lucas."

He stopped. The sound of his name on her lips made his chest tighten. Lucas. Lucas. Lucas. He wished it was the only word in her entire vocabulary. Lucas had to jog to catch back up with her up. For someone with such short legs, the girl could freakin walk fast.

"Are those cowgirl boots?" Lucas smirked at the brown helped shoes with sen in blue flowers across the curved tops.

Maya hesitated. "No."

"Those are cowgirl boots Pancake." Lucas laughed. He had to admit that they fit her well. They went up some seriously awesome legs to the sundry that made her skin look more creamy instead of stark white.

Lucas jumped out in front of her and Maya stopped short. "Real talk."

 _Real talk_ was the phrase they used when they wanted to talk without any jokes or mockery. Maya usually put a time limit on it because she couldn't hold her tongue very long, but she always let him do it.

"You got one minute Ranger Roy." She tiled her hair and her blonde curls fell over her shoulder.

Lucas didn't waste a second. "I know you, and you can try to hide behind your hair and dresses, but right now, you read like a book. There's panic written all across your features and _he's_ going to see that too. Believe me, he's going to like that your afraid of him. The fact that you haven't forgotten about him, and that he's most likely the starring role of your nightmares, will turn him on, not off."

Maya took a deep breath and rubbed an eyebrow, as if trying to get rid of the nerves there.

"Pick me up after every class and walk me to my next period, and follow me home. We're not boyfriend and girlfriend, but that's what I'm offering, take it or leave it."

Lucas was disappointed, but he wasn't going to push her anymore. "Take it."

Riley buzzed them in.

Mr. Matthews was sitting at the kitchen table, spoon-feeding Auggie and pretending the silverware was an airplane. Auggie was six, so the scene made Lucas's brows knit together, but Maya had already seen this happen before, so she ignored it and asked Riley if she was ready to go.

Riley grabbed her back pack off the couch and widened her eyes at Lucas. "I'm assuming you're the body guard today?"

Lucas smiled, but stopped when Mr. Matthews caught sight of him.

"YOU!" Cory snarled and Topanga showed up just in time to grab him.

"I apologize for the other day sir," Lucas hurried, still horrified that Mr. Matthews had caught him practically eating Maya the other day.

"That's my other daughter Mr. Friar," Cory warned. "You hurt her, _I kill you._ "

Topanga tried to laugh off the threat, but Auggie was getting up to hand his father a toy knife.

"Let's go!" Riley urged and the three of them headed out the door. Maya looped a small arm through Rileys and Lucas noticed that although the girls were both small, Riley was the kind that was lanky and tall, while was short and curved.

Lucas walked behind them on the way to school. He could have joined the conversation, but his preoccupation was on Charlie's return. Just the memory of finding them: Charlie with a hand cupping Maya's ass and the other over her mouth, made him tremble with rage. He would hit that kid in a heart beat given the chance.

He wasn't sure what was worse. That he saw him forcing himself on her, or having to take Maya to the nurse to be "examined." She wouldn't let him carry her there, but she let him stay in the room while they checked her out. He saw her jeans had been unbuttoned and there were bruises forming on her arms and neck. Or he thought they were bruises on her neck until he glanced closer and saw they were hickeys. He'd nearly vomited.

One of the nurses asked Maya to take off her shirt and figured that Lucas should leave. But Maya said she wouldn't do it unless he was there and so Lucas stayed. They still hadn't talked about it.

Maya, Riley, Farkle, and stood outside first period History with Lucas, all their expressions unnerved. Farkle reached up to pick a leaf out of Riley's hair and she blushed before turning to Lucas. "So, maybe just incase you should be Maya's boyfriend for the day," she suggested. "I mean, I want you safe Peaches and my Dad has his classes to teach…"

Lucas gaped openly at her and how their minds thought so much alike. "I already tried, she turned me down."

"Guys, I appreciate the support, really I do, but," she cleared her throat to choke out his name, "Charlie's going to be here for the next four years and Lucas can't be with me every single second of the day."

All of them stopped talking, Charlie having just walked past them and into the classroom. He hadn't looked at any of them, except for a heated glance in Maya's direction. She couldn't breathe. Was he mad at her for getting him in trouble? It has been a month since he'd been in school. A month since the incident.

Maya swallowed hard and Lucas didn't miss it. "You okay, _girlfriend_?" he asked, practically begging her to let him do this. He wanted to be able to call her his and only his. And he wanted to shove it in Charlie's face.

She shook her head. "No, _boyfriend_ , I'm not."


	5. Chapter 5

The four of them took they seats just as the bell rang and Lucas kept his eyes glued to the back of Maya's head. He was afraid that if he looked away, he would find Charlie and launch himself at the boy. But just as he was worked himself up, Maya slid her elbow onto his desk and shifted her head to him. In a low voice she whispered. "Don't do anything stupid, Lucas. Please."

There was an ache in her voice and Lucas knew he would do whatever she wanted, so long as she was safe. History today was about the great depression and Lucas couldn't have found the topic to be more fitting since this whole situation was depressing him. Charlie was back and he was nervous for everyone. Charlie could threaten Farckle or Riley to try and get to Maya. And they were never going to be together all the time. He especially didn't like the idea of Maya going home to an empty house. Her mother worked until midnight, nd sometimes later, so Maya wouldn't have anyone there with her until then.

"Sleepover tonight?" Riley interrupted, as if she had been following Lucas's train of thought.

Maya nodded. "Yeah, okay."

"Ms. Matthews, Ms. Hart, my class isn't here as background noise for your banter. Please pay attention," Cory stated. Nobody's mind was on the lesson today. Everyone was focused on the Maya-Charlie situation.

The bell rang and students piled out. Lucas grabbed Maya's books off her desk and she raised a curious eyebrow. "What?" Lucas defended. "We should make this look real."

"Yes, and if you let me carry my own books the entire school would know we're faking," Maya said, her tongue dripping sarcasm.  
Outside the room, Charlie was leaning against the lockers. He had on purple vans, black skinny jeans and a grey t-shirt. His hair looked darker than usual and Lucas wanted to wipe the smirk off with his face with his fist.

"Maya," Charlie grinned. Mr. Mathews had stepped out of the room and was monitoring their interaction. Maya ignored Charlie and slid her hand gently into Lucas's. He felt like it burned where their skin touched.

Charlie made a face at the gesture, but wasn't discouraged. He followed the two of them down the hallway and Maya's hand squeezed Lucas's. Tight.

"I thought we could talk," he continued. Lucas had to chew his tongue to keep from letting out a string of curse words.

"Did you buy the tickets?" Maya asked Lucas. He could feel her trying to ease the both of them, but he didn't know what she was talking about. "You know, so we can go back to Texas. I really miss your Mom, and your Dad, but definitely your Mom."

Lucas was stunned. Not only had Maya never been to Texas, but she'd never talked to him about his family life. She didn't know that her father didn't live with them anymore. Mostly he traveled and sent back checks to pay the house electric bills.

"Come on Maya, you know I'm not an idiot. In what world would you and him possibly be together."

Maya acknowledged Charlie for the first time. "In a world where I choose who I want," she snarled. He doesn't have to force me to do anything." She grabbed a fistful of Lucas's shirt and yanked him down, kissing him with everything she had. Or, at least that was what it felt like to Lucas who almost dropped the books from the hand not holding hers. Instead he used the books to push her closer to him, the spine of the books in line with the spine of her back. She curved, molding to the shape of his body. Maya was short and so there was an entire learning curve to kissing her that Lucas had to adjust to.

Maya pulled away and checked Charlie's embarrassed and angry expression. "Leave me alone, leave him alone," she said and pulled Lucas with her down the hallway. He almost dripped, feeling dizzy.

"What about Riley?" Charlie yelled.

Maya stopped short. Very slowly, she turned around. "You have a death sentence, don't you?"

Charlie didn't respond, he just turned the corner and disappeared. Maya glances up at Lucas with crystal blue eyes that were getting glassy. "It'll be fine," Lucas assured her and leaned down to peck her cheek. It wasn't for Charlie's benefit or for anyone but theirs. Maya's lips parted, but she said nothing.

Charlie was back and he was going to hurt someone. Everyone knew it.

There was nothing to say.


	6. Chapter 6

**WOW you guys are so awesome I'm squealing. Thank you so much for the sweet reviews! And btw I'm sorry about the typos and misspellings. I'm not editing so I'm sorry about that. Again, love you guys and appreciate all the feedback, especially the person who said they "freaked out when they saw this in their inbox and that it'll probably happen overtime I update." Its so great hearing ppl are hooked. Anywayyyyyyyy. Lots of love to the #lucayatics !**

Maya tossed and turned, finally giving up on sleep and flicking the light to her room on. Her mother wasn't home yet and her entire mind was buzzing with thoughts of Riley. If Maya got hurt, that was one thing. The world was against her and she could take it. But Riley was like a daisy, delicate and fragile. If Charlie did something, Riley wouldn't recover the way Maya could.

Sticky with sweat, Maya turned around. Now that the light was on she could see the figure sitting outside her bedroom window and screamed at the top of her lungs. Through the pain, the person turned and Maya's heart clenched. She sunk to the floor, her stomach in her toes, while the shaded form opened her window and rushed through. Lucas gripped her arms and pulled her up to him. "Maya," he panicked. Her face was translucent and he wondered if she was going to faint. He hadn't meant to scare her, and quite honestly, she'd just scared the shit out of him.

"Why would you do that?!" she cried and hit his chest with minimal force. "Why—why would you—" She coughed out the words and hit him again. Lucas got a grip on her biceps and held them still. He felt how fast her breathing was. She was hyperventilating.

"Calm down," he ordered and Maya managed to listen to him, falling back onto her bed. Lucas sat beside her, the covers. overly hot She has been sweating. More nightmares.

Maya grabbed a hair tie and threw her hair into a messy bun, not caring what Lucas thought of her appearance. Hell, he'd seen her without a shirt and the bruises Charlie had given her. A few fly aways were nothing at this point.

"I thought you were—" _Charlie_.

Lucas dropped his hand from her back. "I know."

Maya took a few deep breaths before speaking. "What are you doing here Lucas?" He was supposed to have left hours ago after reading the history homework to her. They took turns, he read aloud for five pages and then she would read for three. The balance was uneven, but it got Maya to do her homework and she could listen to the sound of his voice. There wasn't too much of a southern twang in it, but enough that occasionally he would pronounce a word differently and Maya loved it.

"You mom's not home.i wasn't going to leave you by yourself. And don't even try to act upset, because you screamed thinking I was him and secretly, you want me here."

"Anyone would have screamed seeing a figure outside their window," Maya argued and tucked her knees up on the bed. "But," she drew out her exhale, "so long as you're here, you should stay inside and try to get some sleep of your own."

Sleep _did_ sound like a good idea, but Lucas could tell Maya wasn't going to be getting any anytime soon. "Get comfortable," he said and Maya lowered herself down in the twin bed, folding her hands underneath her head, her cheek squished against her fingers. Lucas got up and turned off the light.

In the dark, hekicked off his shoes and found the empty space on her mattress. He lay next to Maya, the both of them silent. "Well, this is uncomfortable," Maya announced after a minute.

"You are so weird, I swear your mouth has no filter."

"Ah, you love me," Maya teased and rolled over, shoving his shoulder playfully.

Things got quiet then and Lucas found Maya's eyes in the darkness. She blinked wide at him. This girl, so young and beautiful had seen more horror than most kid her age. Lucas didn't understand how she managed. " _Real talk_ ," she said, catching him off-guard. Lucas could sense their conversation talking a new turn. "We never talked about it," she whispered.

He knew instantly what she meant. As often as the each of them thought about the event, neither of them willing brought it up with the other. What happened with the fight—Lucas punching Charlie, Maya punching Lucas, and the nurse undressing Maya in front of Lucas—was an off limits topic.

Until now.

"Was I wrong? Making you stay like that? Did I make it worse?" Maya couldn't imagine if she made it harder on Lucas. He already had so much anger in him and she knew, sometimes, she was like gasoline, adding fuel to the fire. "I didn't know any of those nurses—I mean, I don't get sick, or call home. And I didn't want them to touch me without there being anyone I knew there with me. Maybe if Riley had been—"

"I'm glad you wanted me there." The words dropped off his tongue without control. "If you had made me leave, I would've went after him. If I left you…"

 _I would have killed him_ , Lucas thought.

Maya closed her eyes and scooted the tinniest bit closer so their feet were touching. "You're going to make a pretty good _real_ boyfriend one day, Huckleberry," Maya informed him, breaking one of the rules of real talk: No nicknames. Still, it was as one of the nicest comments she'd ever made to him. Lucas was grateful for the lights being out so Maya couldn't pick up on his blush.

Outside Maya's room footsteps sounded and Katy talked in a low voice with Shawn on the phone. Maya knew it was Shawn because no one else called this late and no one else brought out the smile in her mothers voice like that.

"That's your cue," Maya said softly.

Lucas groaned inwardly. He didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay here, beside her, talk all night, play footies. He wanted to find out everything about this girl, even if just to memorize the way her lips moved when she talked.

Rather though, he sat up and slipped on his shoes.

"Pick me up for school tomorrow?" Maya smiled.

Lucas appeared unsure. "I have a dentist appointment, but Riley said she and Farkle will be here at seven."

"Oh, alright," Maya said and quickly hid her disappointment. "Goodnight Ranger."

"Night other one." Lucas winked. He stepped out of the window and shut it behind him. Maya rubbed her eyes and checked the time on her phone. It was one thirty and Lucas would be going home alone in the dark. Was it stupid to think Charlie wouldn't go after him? After all, he was the biggest threat. .

The knock on her window didn't make Maya jump this time. She knew who it was and was glad he'd come back to sleep in her bed. It was safer with him near her, or so it felt.

"You came back for me?" Maya joked as she lifted the plastic window. She had barely time to register the dark eyes and sly smile before the hand clamped over her mouth and she was yanked into the cool night air.


	7. Chapter 7

**YOU GUYS, you seriously make my day. Please keep reviewing, you make me so happy and giggle at my computer screen. Last chapters best review goes to the girl who said**

 **"I almost screamed when Lucas was at Maya's window—AHHH HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! It's 130 am, so instead of getting sleep…ill probably be making up scenarios in my head for this all night…this story is worth losing sleep over."**

 **I know my story isn't for everyone, but it's hearing this like that that make me want to keep going! SO thanks!**

Maya bit down on the fingers that held her mouth. Charlie cursed and kicked the window closed with his foot. Maya wanted to shout for Lucas. He couldn't have gone far, but Charlie held her chin so she couldn't open her lips to speak. She kicked out at him and he muttered a quick, "bitch" before digging his hand into her arm with bruising force.

"Here's what's going to happen," Charlie sneered. Maya wondered how she could have ever thought of him as charming. Now all she could see was the mask he used to get people to like him. It was all an act. "You're going to dump your little fake boyfriend and start dating me. That's right, I asked around and nobody claimed you were dating until today. If you don't want Riley to get hurt, you're keep your little mouth shut, and make it act real."

Maya shivered, but not because of the breeze outside.

"You and I both understand one another," Charlie stated, sliding his fingers down her jaw to her neck and dressing his thumb down so she couldn't breathe. "We both know Riley isn't you. She'll break like an egg. So if you don't want to see that happen to your best friend, tomorrow you're ending things with your boytoy and you'll meet me at my locker after school."

Maya still couldn't breath and Charlie released the pressure, allowing the oxygen back into her lungs. Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She didn't want to give him that kind of satisfaction.

"We'll talk like friends and you'll tell people what happened was a miss understand." He spoke with venom and Maya imagined his words were poison, seeping into her and slowly crushing all the hope she had.

Charlie scanned her face in the moonlight and his eyes glimmered, as if he was seeing the most beautiful creature in the world. Maya felt vile rising at the back of her throat. Charlie backed away and disappeared into the night. Maya could almost imagine that everything in the last minute had been another bad dream. She climbed back in her window and locked behind her, but it was useless. She couldn't lock out what she needed to let in. And if she was going to keep Riley safe, she needed to get on board with the her and Charlie plan.

Riley and Farkle showed up at seven, as Lucas promised. Neither of them noticed the bags under her eyes from no-sleep. Lucas would have, she thought. Both Riley and Farkle seemed to think yesterday went pretty well. Charlie kept to himself. Well, he didn't talk to either of them and they hadn't seen the hallway run-in with Lucas.

"I think he's changed," Maya said flatly. She'd been rehearsing these lines to her bathroom mirror all night. How to make them read as real. It would be easier with them then Lucas. Riley always wanted to believe the best things happened. She'd trick her mind into believing Maya. And Farkle was just Farkle. He couldn't read her emotions. But Lucas, oh Lucas saw her like an open book. He got under her skin and she hated him for it. It was what led them to pick on each other all the time. Any little move they made set the other off.

"Really Peaches?" Riley asked.

"Yeah I do. The whole thing kind of got blown out of proportion anyway. I think I might have let him on." There was nothing misleading about the word NO and Maya knew she had said it at least fifteen times to Charlie.

At school Lucas wasn't in first period, but Charlie was. He said "Good morning" to Riley and Maya as he passed them to take his seat. Maya muttered a "Morning," back and Riley looked at her with a mixture of confusion and happiness. In Rileytown, nothing ever went wrong, and having Charlie, nice Charlie back was making Riley giddy.

Lucas came in halfway through the period and handed Mr. Matthews a note. He slid into the seat behind Maya and whispered "Good morning." She didn't respond.

After the period ended, Maya hurried to hold her own books and race to Art. It was the one class she was extremely excited for because Charlie wasn't in it, Lucas and her sat on opposite sides of the classroom, and she didn't think while she painted.

Riley, Farkle, and Zay took their time getting to class. They walked in a moment before the bell and took their seats. The assignment was shading, trying to use proper technique to make mountains reflect onto a body of water in front of it. So far, Maya's needed a lot of work, but Riley's was just a big blob of green and blue so she didn't get stressed out about it.

"Lucas is mad," Riley said with a frowny face.

"And why is that?" Maya asked, keeping her voice low and her strokes even.

"Don't get angry, but I told him what you said about Charlie changing and he sort of flipped out."

Maya glanced across the room to Lucas's easel. He wasn't there. "Where is he?" Maya didn't want to sound too alarmed, but she was nervouss that Lucas would go straight to Charlie. That would only make things worse.

Riley shrugged unhappy.

"It's okay Riles, he's probably just got a big bunch in his underwear today."

Riley smiled.

"Mrs. Klossal, bathroom?" Maya said and was out the door before her teacher could reply. The moment she stepped out of the door, a hand grabbed her arm. She was expecting to go on a wild goose chase for him, but here he was, waiting for her.

"What does he have on you?" Lucas demanded.

"What?" Maya stammered.

"I saw your face as it happen and if Riley had, she would know you're lying too. Why are you covering for him?"

Maya tried to pull her arm out of is grasp. "I'm not Lucas."

"Remember our lesson with Mr. Matthews? The sword over your head. Right now you might think you're doing the right thing, but the sword is gonna drop at some point Maya."  
"We're fake breaking up," Maya said, her face void of emotion. A flicker of a tremble in her bottom lip toldLucas something was wrong, so very wrong.

"No we're not, because this relationship isn't fake," Lucas's voice was deep and dead serious. They'd been pretending, but if this wasn't a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, Lucas didn't know what was.

"Maybe it's not," Maya said sadly. "But we're still breaking up." She ran a hand through her hair. "Stay close to Riley," was all she said and headed back into classroom. Lucas understood in a second. She was doing this to protect her friend. If Riley got hurt, Maya wouldn't be able to live with herself.

But if Maya got hurt, Lucas wouldn't be able to live, period.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm legit walking on air with your comments guys! Thank you so much especially the few of you who messaged me to tell me that you legit cried last chapter. I usually write in first person, but this has been really fun to try something new. (: Okay, keep R and R-ing peeps!**

 **Side note: My auto correct always changes Farkle to Frazzle. :/**

The next two days went by in a whirl wind and Riley didn't like it. Maya wasn't answering her text, Lucas was on his man period, and Farkle was busy with debate. It seemed like there was nothing she could control or fix.

"Maya," Riley blocked her way out the door. "What is going on? You haven't said more than five words to me in the last two days. I'm so super serious that if you don't tell me what's going on, I'm bringing my father into this." She folded her arms defensively in front of her.

"Nothing is going on," Maya swore and was glad to see Farkle walking up to them. He would be a good distraction. "What's between the two of you?"

Riley checked Farkle out openly. "Nothing," she denied, and Maya smirked, full-knowing what a lie that was. Yesterday Mr. Matthews couldn't stop looking at Farkle and Riley. Topanga passed everything Riley said on to Cory. If Riley didn't know that by now, far be it for Maya to be the one to tell her.

"How bout we all go to Topanga's after school?' Maya suggested. It would put her best friend at ease if she stopped avoiding her like the plague.

"Yay!" Riley burst and Farkle was now close enough to be a part of the conversation.

"Lady, Lady," he said and Maya and Riley's brows pulled down at the same time. "What?" Frarkle shrugged. "I'm trying it out."

They sat down in class and Lucas came in, Charlie behind him. They were too close, Maya thought. They might have been talking just now.

"Maya," Charlie greeted.

"Hey," she said, wishing Lucas had been the one to greet her. Instead, he just sat and kept quiet, the way he had around her for the past two days. Maya hated it, it was worse than him yelling her and that always made Maya want to hit something or burst into tears.

Her mouth ached, wishing to say the words, "Can we talk?" but Charlie was here and she wouldn't do anything that put Riley in trouble. She kept her mouth shut.

Mr. Matthews wrote on the chalk board, H-e-l-l. The class awaited him. "Hell," he said. "Do you believe in it? Who goes there? On the spectrum, how bad do you have to be to go to hell?"

Riley raised her hand. "How can anyone go there if no one person is all good or all bad?"

"It's an imaginary place," Farkle said scientifically. How can we talk about a place that nobody knows exists.

Maya picked at the first under her nails, only snapping out of her head when Mr. Matthews called on her. "Maya, what do you think?"

She paused, giving it little thought. "I don't think there's anything. You're dead, you're dead. It's black."

Mr. Matthews sighed, wondering if he was ever going to have a breakthrough with his second daughter. "And you, Mr. Friar?"

Maya turned slightly to see Lucas's eye snap up. He hadn't been paying attention, but he finds an answer anyway. "I don't see why we shouldn't believe it. Isn't it more comforting to think there's something there for us, waiting? And I don't see why we shouldn't take that comfort because if we're wrong, we're dead. There's no loss."

Maya turned further around and Lucas stared at her. Maya had never thought of it that way, but she stayed silent, the pair of her eyes searching his. There was so much left unsaid, and yet there was nothing to say. He couldn't do anything that would change the way things were and she couldn't say anything to make him feel better about it.

What she could do was argue with him. That always made her feel better. "Of course Huckleberry, and you'll be on the first flight to heaven, huh?"

"And where will you be, riding the back of the bus to hell?" His voice held a challenge.

Did he really think that? He assumed Maya was going to hell? The back of her ears turned red with fury and she hated his smug grin and flawless face. "Fuck you."

"Ms. Hart!" Cory yelled in disbelief and said, "Detention," but Maya didn't hear him. The anger was blocking out his voice.

"Maya, I'm sorry," Lucas said, unsure of how the scenario had transformed so quickly. He hadn't met to hurt her. Charlie looked amused watching it all and when Lucas saw, his hands clenched on the desk.

"Fuck you too." It was the first time Lucas has ever cursed. But he had to and he found the realization in Maya's eyes as Mr Matthews announced he had detention too. There they would be alone together and they could talk. Meanwhile, Riley, Farkle, Zay, and Charlie all had on surprised expressions. All of them were unhappy, except Charlie, who bit his lip staring at Maya's naked legs and heeled boots.


	9. Chapter 9

**HEYYYY YALL. So, small shout out to the person who said they didn't like Lucaya, but thought my story worked well. Bigger shout out to the sweet one who told me I write fast! I really do write quickly, which FYI is why there are a lot of spelling errors. Just try to see past them and focus on the story.**

 **As I write this, I'm watching girl meets creativity for the 10000000th time. Too many feels.**

Mr. Matthews sat at his desk, staring between Lucas Friar and Maya hart. He was supposed to stay there and watch them, but his legs were shaking. "Okay. I need to tinkle, you two stay."

He motioned with his fingers to show he had his eyes on the two of them before darting out the door.

"How can we fix this?" Lucas jumped. "I get what he's doing, holding Riley over your head, but I care about you Maya, and so do a lot of other people. You can't put yourself through this."

"You gotta better plan Ranger Rick?" Maya toyed, too tired to keep up her act. It was useless around Lucas anyway. He could see through her no matter how good of an actress she could be.

"Yeah, let's tell someone. Mr. Matthews."

"That's what we did last time and look where it got us. There's no evidence."

Lucas refused to give up on this or her. "Well then we'll get evidence. Charlie's not the only one who can make a plan."

Maya sat up a little straighter. The minimal hope that there was some sort of escape, a way out of all things, was thrilling.

"I'll talk to Farkle, get him to make or find a listening device that way if you get him to say what he's done."

Maya's eyes widened. "How fast do you think you can get it?"

Lucas smirked. This was the Maya he knew, in action and trying to take down anyone who threatened her or her friends. He reached out and swiped his thumb across her cheek, the touch gentle and comforting. "I promise you won't have to tolerate him much longer."

Maya leaned her cheek into his palm, her lips brushing his fingers. "I hope you're right on that Huckleberry."

Lucas's heart melted, hearing her say that. It was a glimpse of the Maya he'd seen before Charlie had done this. In the past month, she'd become more reliant on him when usually she didn't want anybody's help. But the old Maya old have hoped for a way out rather than request help. Here she was, telling him she hoped. The hope ran fire through her sapphire eyes.

"Real talk, I've missed you so much these past few days," Lucas sighed. He wanted her to know that he needed her, that he wasn't better off without her. None of them were. Riley might have been the one to clean everybody up, but Maya helped Riley just as much as she helped her. Maya just wasn't know for it. Her sarcastic loud personality and family problems overshadowed the sweetness Lucas could see in her. She had a southern soul as his Mama would say.

"Real talk—and I will murder you if you tell anyone this—I've missed you more," Maya admitted, a pressure lifted off her chest. This part of her life was real. Everything else was an act. But Lucas…she could count on him. She needed him. She loved him. _Woah_ , Maya thought. _Don't go too far there_. She was grateful she hadn't said it aloud.

Lucas leaned in, his lips only inches from hers and she closed the space between them. Tiny shocks of intensity snapped under Lucas's skin and he puled her closer over the desk.

"Seriously?!" Cory shouted. "I leave you alone for a minute and this?! Again!"

Maya and Lucas flushed. They really need to stop making a habit of kissing where Mr. Matthews could find them.

"Both of you go, get! I want you out of my sight."

Maya rushed from the room to where Charlie was waiting to walk her home, leaving Lucas in wait behind her, the taste of Maya's chapstick still fresh on his lips. That bastard was going down. Lucas would see to it himself, and not tomorrow or in a few days from now.

It was happening tonight.


	10. Chapter 10

Charlie's fingers thread through Maya's and she recoiled automatically. There was something about them, the cold skin and long fingers that set her teeth on edge. "I was waiting to walk you home," he says as if he's being sweet instead of forcing her to be with him.

"Um, thanks," she coughed. The words were being shoved out of her.

"Are you getting sick?"

Maya wondered why he cared so much about her health when he had put bruises on her body. She replied with, "No, just a sore throat."

"Oh, well I was thinking we could see a movie tonight. Maybe grab a bite a Topanga's?" he asked, hopeful.

Maya was shocked at how normal he was being. It was almost like they were really dating. She practically had to remind herself that this wasn't what she wanted. "How does your brain work?" she scolded. "How can you possibly make yourself believe that I want to be with you?"

Charlie's smile fell and he tugged on her shirt sleeve, stoping her. His hand ran down her arm, slow and seductive. Maya kept her face flat. No emotion. Charlie leaned forward and gave a feather light kiss to her collarbone, leaving Maya numb. He pulled her then, so the were walking once again and began listing movies, ignoring Maya's confrontation.

"Can I ask you a question?" Maya asked warily.

Charlie seemed off-put, expecting more backtalk. He prayed for patience with her. "Yes."

"Why did you fake liking Riley? I mean, you could have just told me you liked me and I would have gone out with you."

Charlie raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised. "You would have?"

"Sure," Maya said. He'd been so charming to Riley that Maya, for an instant, had wished she had a guy like that. If he'd been asking her out, she would've said yes. Of course now that she knew what a creep he was, she wasn't going to ever want him.

Charlie pulled her close to him, smelling the caramel sent of her hair. When they're eyes met, Maya's heart lurched. His were hard and cold, but he was still young and human. _Nothing is all good or all bad_ , Riley had said that to Maya several times. So, as Charlie held her close and put his lips on hers, she imagined she liked this boy. Charlie, a sweet, sensitive guy, almost like Lucas. Charlie had a temper, but thus far, Maya could control it if she controlled her tongue.

His lips were nice and he didn't use too much tongue, but Maya still got a sense of wrongness. Clearly Charlie didn't though because he pulled away, grinning like a mad man. "You taste good."

Maya had to robotically pull a pleased look to her face. "You too." She wanted to vomit.

At home, with Charlie gone—He'd only left after she agreed to grab a bite at Topanga's later— Maya dialed Riley's number. "Come on Riles, pick up, pick up," she urged and after the third ring, the line went through.

"Maya?" a voice questioned, but it wasn't Riley, it was Farkle.

"Farkle? Why do you have Riley's phone?"

"Oh, uh, here she is," Farkle said, evading the question.

"Peaches!" Riley sounded extra cheery, no doubt from whatever Farkle was just doing. "What's up?"

"Uh," Maya paused, unsure of why she had called Riley. First instinct, she supposed. Had wanted to talk about Charlie? To form a plan? No, she would have gone to Lucas for those things. Lately she spent most of her time leaning on Lucas, but it was Riley she needed. "What's going on with you and Farkle?" A distraction would be good.

"We just kissed for the first time," Riley gave a yippee.

"Are you saying this in front of him?" Maya laughed.

"Mhmm," Riley hummed. "He's a good kissser."

Maya rolled her eyes, giddy. Riley and Farkle were a weird, unexpected pair, but they worked, sort of like a old sweater that never fit and then was suddenly and surprisingly perfect. Plus, Riley could be her clumsy crazy self and Farkle would love her away.

Maya cared about Lucas in a more-than-friends way, but it wasn't unconditional. She did not find everything he did attractive, instead it was the things that pissed er off and got under her skin that made her recognize all the good parts he had. And there were A LOT of good parts.

—

Lucas jogged up to him from behind, yanking the collar of a leather jacker until they were concealed in the alleyway, Charlie with his back against the wall, Lucas with his forearm on the boy's throat. "You disgust me," Lucas spat, seeing the realization in Charlie's eyes and then the smile brought to his lips. Void Lucas was coming—the name Lucas's had given to the alter ego part of him, a part he could neither change nor control.

"The feelings mutual," Charlie said and Lucas had to give the dipshit credit. He held his own, even when Lucas was a half foot taller than him and twice his muscle mass.

"Me? I'm not the one harassing an innocent girl. A real man wouldn't force someone to be with them," Lucas growled and Charlie grabbed the arm that was nearly chocking him.

"The high and might Lucas Friar then, huh?" Charlie retorted. "You think you're a real man? The man who could make a girl like Maya Hart happy?"

Charlie shoved him back and took a swing that Lucas dodged easily. He caught the wrist and was a second away from breaking it when the Moral Compass called to him. Breaking an hand wouldn't do any good. It wouldn't change what had happened or what could still happen. Not unless he snapped the kid in half, which was a viable option.

Charlie grinned, wicked. "Admit it, you want her. You like her and it kills you that you can't make her want you back." Lucas paused. "She'd never be happy with you, but I'll make her be happy with me."

Lucas's arm slung back and socked Charlie across the jaw. "Don't." _Punch._ "You." _Punch._ "Ever." _Punch._ He threw a bloodied Charlie against the wall. "Come near her again." Lucas shook, barely able to contain the fire. This punk was hurting everyone he cared about, and mostly the girl who deserved it the least. "Or I swear to god, I'll kill you."

He caught sight of the cut above Charlie's eye, in line with his eyebrow and the blood mixed with saliva trickling from his lip to his chin. It dripped down to the jacket. Lucas's knuckles were stinging and it registered that he needed to leave before he beat Charlie to a pulp. The problem was he had no clue where to go.

Stepping outside onto the street, he saw Topanga's clear windows and the back of a messy blonde head, sitting at one of the booths. He knew just by the hair that it was her and spotted someone across from her. He was wearing a beanie and a dark grey shirt and was laughing at something Maya had just said to him.

Josh.

Lucas sighed and shook his head to himself. As much as he hated to admit it, Charlie was right. He wanted Maya and he wanted her to want him. Josh's face went serious in the window and he reached over the table to take Maya's hand. Before Lucas could see anymore, he turned around and headed home for the night, the sting from his knuckles incomparable to the ache in his heart.


	11. Chapter 11

Maya took her hand out of Josh's. "Thank you," she said. "I'm glad you came."

"I promise I always will when you need me," he reminded. She had called him, and told him about Charlie who was supposed to show up any minute. Josh would play distraction and not leave her alone with the psychopath. Only that psychopath hadn't shown up. At eight, she had decided to let Josh walk her home and locked herself in her room, blocking Charlie out.

She had woken up, expecting him, or maybe Lucas to show up and walk her to school, but neither of them had. She was on her own, like the old days. She checked her phone. No new messages from anyone except Riley and that was just, _it's another good day peaches (:_

Lucas was by the lockers, shoving books in the shoulder bag Maya had teased him about looking like a purse. "Hey Hee-haw," she called. He didn't turn and she swallowed, anxious. Something wasn't right. Charlie hadn't shown up last night for their forced "date" last night and now Lucas was ignoring her. That couldn't be coincidence.

"Hello? Earth to Ranger rick?" Maya stepped closer, close enough to see his hand slam the locker shut, and his knuckles…they were purple and blue and could only be the result of him punching something—or someone—with breaking force. "Lucas." She touched his hand. He pulled it away, like she might be the one hurting him, and walked into the classroom. It was unbelievable the effect he had on her, instantaneous. He was angry with her.

"Lucas." She rushed into the classroom after him and there was Charlie, staring down at his notebook, his face swollen to the point where his left eye was closed and yellow. She didn't need to know whose knuckles caused a hit like that. Riley was in her seat, eyes widening at Maya to say, What is going on?! Riley wouldn't believe Lucas would do something like that, but Maya knew Lucas's rage and how to of hand it could be. She had seen him over Charlie the first time he had attacked Maya, and that was probably a cake walk compared to round two.

Maya took her seat and ignored Riley's silent question. She turned in her seat. "You're mad at me," she whispered. He didn't look up. "Why are you mad at me?"

"Not now Maya," he spoke in gritted teeth. Whatever made him want to punch Charlie clearly hadn't dissipated yet. Maya backed off. She wouldn't tangle with him when he was in this kind of mood.

Mr. Matthews took notice of everything going on when he stepped into the room. Lucas's pen pressed so hard into his paper, he cut through it, Charlie's good eye glued to his desk, Maya's unease.

"We're not going to have a lesson today," Mr. Matthews announced. Much to his surprise, no one jumped or cheered. They actually were counting on a lesson to help them. "I think you are all intelligent children, who have potential to change our world for the better. This class is one hour long and you will get to decide how to spend it—how to spend your lives. Go."

Riley faced Farkle, grinning. "I know how I want to spend the next hour," she cheered.

Farkle sat up straighter in his desk, only to receive the death stare from Mr. Matthews. "As much as I would like to kiss you too, I don't think I would be comfortable with your father watching."

Maya didn't turn around. She didn't make any move. How would she spend the next hour? Ignoring her problems. But a part of her hoped Lucas would take the hint to talk to her. He didn't.

A figure passed between Maya and Riley. "Mr. Matthews, can I speak to you privately?" Charlie asked. Cory paused, and then nodded. They both stepped out of the room.

Maya's throat felt thick, like if she tried to speak, the words would get caught and spill out wrong. Charlie would tell Mr. Matthews about what Lucas did, and considering Lucas's history, the school board wouldn't even need any evidence to suspend or expel him. And without Lucas, there would be no one to stop Charlie.


	12. Chapter 12

Mr. Matthews and Charlie hadn't come back to class. By the time the bell rang, Maya was worked up. She shot out of her chair to the door, searching for either of them. If Charlie got Lucas expelled, she was going to have his head. It was enough of his blackmailing her, bullying her into being with him. She was going to give this asshole a piece of her mind.

"Maya!" A voice called. Farkle was running down the hallway to catch up with her. When he did, he was out of breath. "Don't do this!" His voice projected and he turned around calling out to Riley, "Get Lucas!"

Riley disappeared, but Maya couldn't see. She wasn't facing that way and wouldn't turn around until she found Charlie. He was outside the main office, seated on a bench. "WHat the hell do you think you're doing?" She yanked him up onto his feet by the collar of his shirt. Charlie didn't respond. His mouth was a flat line and he was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from speaking.

"Maya." Farkle spoke nervously, putting a hand between Maya and Charlie. He didn't know the best strategy to get her to stop, so he mentally prepared himself for getting hit. "Stop. The last thing we need if for _you_ to get suspended."

Maya took her hand off Charlie, but only to shove Farkle to the side. "Go away Farkle. You don't even know the half of what he's done to me. If I get expelled, it'll be worth it." Her hand was back on Charlie. "I swear on Riley, if you get Huckleberry in trouble, I will end you. You hear me?"

"Maya, let go of him." It was a different voice. He must have come running to get here this fast. She didn't obey. Her eyes were locked on Charlie's bruised face and she didn't think she could back up one step, even if she wanted to. This guy had threatened her, touched her, blackmailed her using Riley.

"She won't listen," Farkle added.

"That's because you gotta know how to handle her." Maya couldn't see Lucas behind her, so she didn't expect it when he got a hand on her waist and hoisted her up, tossing her over his shoulder. She had no choice to let go of Charlie, her waist bent over his arm.

"Lucas! Put me down!" She hit him on the back. It made it harder for hims to carry her, but he wrapped an arm around her legs and kept going down the hallway. "Stop!" Her voice was weak and there were suddenly tears in her eyes. All the frustration and fear these past few weeks were building inside her. Why couldn't Charlie just stop?! Why did her father have to leave and why did she still care about him being dead? Why was Lucas the only one who could contain her? "You saw what he did! He's… he's…" She was sniffling now and could barely make out Charlie, Farkle, and Riley at the end of the hall. They were blurred by the tears in her eyes.

Lucas rounded the corner and they all disappeared from sight.

"Lucas, he's going to make you leave! I—"

"Be quiet Maya," Lucas hissed and he kept walking. She stopped, actually listening to him for the first time. She let herself hang over his shoulder and minutes passed before he set her down. They were in the art room, and he made sure her feet were firmly planted on the ground before letting go and slamming the door. He leaned against it, blocking her way out.

"How can you be so calm?" she asked, having held her tongue long enough. "He's going to tell on you!"

"Calm? Maya, did you see his face? I practically bashed it in. I'm the opposite of calm. I'm fucking livid!" He shouted the last part and she shuttered. "You have no idea how much I hate him, for everything he's done to you, I could kill him Maya."

Maya threw out her hands in question. "So why didn't you help me?! We could have teamed up and murdered him together!" She wasn't even trying to be funny, it was her real plan.

"Because I don't want you stepping down to his level. You're better than that. Now, sit down and paint something. You're not leaving this room until you're calm."

Her words were slow and heated. "How can I be calm, if he's going to get you expelled? How can I be calm, if he's going to be here and you're not? What is going to happen if—" The tears that had stopped somewhere in the hallway were back. Lucas picked up a paintbrush, still half blocking the door and extended it to her. She took it, angry salt water spilling down her cheeks.

"This is so messed up," she said below her breath, and went after her colors. Lucas watched her select reds, and dark greens, heavy browns. There seemed to be no particular order, but she selected each so carefully he knew there had to be a specific reason behind each one.

"I mean, seriously, he can't get away with this," she picked up a clean white canvas and stood it up against an easel. "Right? Mr. Matthews will do something—he has to." She dipped the brush into the red container and her strokes were harsh, thick, and jagged. Lucas stared in fascination. It was like her body was on autopilot and she was doing things, making masterpieces, without realizing it. She used the brown this time and was painting a stream, a blood red stream with dark greens and browns on the outside. It _was_ actually calming her.

The bell rang. People would be coming in here soon for class and they needed to go to English, but he let her go on, getting paint in her hair and on her face. She lost herself in the colors.

When the door opened, it was Farkle. "Lucas, they want you in the main office."

Maya stopped painting. She looked up and Lucas refused to gaze back at her. He was afraid if he did, he'd go do something stupid like kiss her and they'd both wind up covered in paint and get in more trouble then they already were.

"Stay here with her," Lucas ordered and slipped out the door behind Farkle. It shut and Lucas prayed the little guy could handle her.

"Lucas!" Maya yelled through the door. "Lucas don't leave me in here!" Her voice was frustrated and he actually thought he could hear her heart breaking in it. There was an ache, an exhausted, defeated tone in it that was unbearable to his ears. But he had no choice. He had done what he had done and there was no changing it now. He headed away from the art room and toward the office again, leaving Farkle behind with the girl he loved.


	13. Chapter 13

"He's transferring to a different school. He's leaving." Farkle said.

So it was official. Lucas was going to be leaving all of them, leaving Maya, the way her dad had left her. She supposed it wasn't the same thing exactly. Her father had chosen to leave and Lucas was going to be forced to do it against his will. But it was still leaving nonetheless.

"No, Maya," Farkle read the look on her face, "Im talking about Charlie. I'm not sure what's happening with Lucas, but Charlie's not going to hurt you anymore." He went over and pried the paintbrush from her hand and hugged her. Farkle loved Maya, definitely not the same way he loved Riley, but he loved her for all sorts of reasons. Her strength. Her generosity towards others. Her love for his surprise, Maya clutched him back, embracing him in her tight grip. And her head rested against his chest, her wet cheek dampening his shirt.

"I'm scared Farkle," she sighed. "I don't want anything to happen to him."

He ran a hand on her back. Farkle hadn't really done much, but he had been there for Maya, just as he always was for the group. So many times he was the silent hero and Maya prayed more than anything in that moment that no matter what happened to the rest of them, Farkle would end up happy. He deserved the girl of his dreams and to rule the world, because a world ruled by someone as smart and caring as Farkle was the greatest world Maya could dream up.

When the moment was over, Maya didn't waste a second. She ran, grabbed the handle of the door, and pushed it open and i closed, locking Farkle in the room by himself. She sprinted down the hallway. Lucas was standing, talking to Riley, and Maya slowed her pace, coming behind the both of them and catching the end of their conversation.

"Charlie's leaving, that's great, but what about the next guy who comes along and is actually a good guy, a guy that's better than me."

"Any particular guy you have in mind?" Riley's tone was a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

"She was with Josh in Topanga's last night."

"Lucas, that wasn't anything. She called him because Charlie was going to be going on a date with her. She wanted someone to be there. But Charlie's not an issue anymore."

Lucas heard footsteps and whirled. "Goddamn Farkle," he sighed. Of course he couldn't hold Maya hostage. "You, _you_ are driving me crazy! Sit still, Maya."

"Did you go in yet? Did they say anything?" She couldn't sit still because this whole scenario had her throughly worked over.

"They're deciding what to do. The fight wasn't on school grounds, but I came clean and admitted it was me." Lucas was Moral Compass. He side stepped her and started down the hallway, needing room to clear his head.

Maya jumped in front of him. "Stop leaving! You don't get to just walk away from me or lock me in a room and then ignore me."

"Yes I do Maya! All you ever do is walk away from me! And then you call Josh for help and still expect me to be there whenever you need. It's exhausting! Give me some space!"

"Well will you?" Her voice came out chocked a little—a slight crack in her armor. She cared about what his answer would be. A lot. "Will you be there for me?"

He stopped and Maya watched the anger dissipate from his irises. "Of course, I will. You know that I'll always be here for you Maya," he took a deep breath, "even when I don't want to."

"I'm sorry I called Josh," Maya said and she felt small, and not just in height. "You were the first person I thought of calling, but I know I've been putting you through a lot and I hate having to call you to babysit me."

"It's not baby sitting. It's watching out for you and that's all I've ever wanted to do," he exhaled. He took her by the arms and put his lips against hers. They met and as always, matched each other in intensity, and he hugged her at the same time, pulling her onto her tip toes. He wanted to make them one and be so close to her that he wouldn't be able to tell where one of them ended and the other ended. She smiled like acrylic paint and vanilla shampoo. She tasted like fireball whisky, hot and sweet.

"Well, I'm gonna go…." Riley said awkwardly, sliding away from them. She walked down the hall, and saw Farkle through the glass window in the art room. He was focused on a painting of a red stream that could only be the work of Maya. Anyone else would have seen despair, in the brown, in the texture, but Riley saw the hopefulness in the green and the white space.

She opened the door and Farkle was immediately there, hugging her against him. She entwined her fingers in his hair. It was so soft and she loved playing with it, almost as much as he loved the way her fingers felt against his scalp.

"What's this for?" Riley asked.

"I know our relationship is a little weird. I told you I loved you years before we even started dating and that's not how most people work, but it works for us." He mouthes a piece of hair behind her ear. "I love you."

"I love you too," Riley said and pecked him on the lips. It was their thing. There quick kisses. She would kiss him, and then he would kiss her, and their last kiss would meet in the middle.

"You smell good," he complimented.

She hummed, happily. "What do I smell like?"

"Like... _you_ ," _Like sunshine and rainbows and Riley._ He smiled and put an arm around her shoulder. "How's Lucas? I'm guessing Maya found him."

"They're getting a little more than friendly," Riley teased. They walked down to the other end of the school, riley with an arm around Farkle's sweatshirt.

Lucas was sitting on the floor, holding Maya, and it almost looked like they were sleeping. She was curled up again him and his eyes were closed. They're breathing was in time with one another. How the hell had they gotten on the floor?

"We're cuter than them, right?"

Farkle chuckled at the question. He scooped Riley up like the princess she was. He may not be Lucas's size, but Farkle could carry Riley fairly easily. "No competition. We're a fairytale come to life."

And they rwere. Maybe not the whole "love at first sight" type, but they were just as happy as any ending in a storybook. Lucas and Maya, on the other hand, were no fairytale. They were more of a tv drama, always dealing with something angsty, never completely at peace. It was probably the reason they were asleep now, because they never got any.

Mr. Matthews stepped outside the office.

"Dad! What is it? What are they going to do? Is Lucas okay?"

"None of you are in class?" he responded, confused. He should have expected it really."Lucas is suspended for three days and Maya is going to attend a class for women who have gone through slimmer things."

"What? Why?" Farkle asked, confused.

"Well, based of Lucas's story, she's been through more than any of us were aware of. We think it'll help her. And Riley, before you ask, you cannot go with her. Maya needs to do this alone.

Riley sniffled. She was always an easy crier and knowing that Maya had gone through things she kept to herself, and now would have to go to this class on her own, without her best friend, had her sobbing. Mr Matthews looked to Farkle and he held Riles against him, soothing her with words in her ear. "It'll be alright. I love you. We're all okay. Maya will be fine, you know she's strong enough to get through anything. And Lucas will help. We all will."


	14. Chapter 14

It had been a week since Charlie had left and Maya would still wake up in the middle of the night and check to make sure her window was locked. Still, she didn't want to go to these "self help" lessons. She was being forced to attended three of them. "I really don't wan to go," she whined. "Can't we just sign me in and then ditch?"

Lucas swung their held hands. "Um, no. You've been jumpy all week and I'll be waiting for you as soon as you come out. It won't be that bad."

"You don't know that," she groaned and rose his hand over her head, resigning it on her shoulder. She let go and put her arm around his waist.

The classes were being held in the gym at the school on Saturday. Lucas could drop her off and wait in one of the empty class rooms, doing his work. Riley was going to meet him there, and work on their project for French. She wanted to be there for Maya too.

"Maya Hart?" A woman asked, smiling at the sign in table.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

"Behave," Lucas warned, kissing his on the top of her head. This past week had changed them. There was no Charlie to worry about, and Lucas had done his three days of penance, and Maya was being less defensive, more trusting.

"I will," she said and was about to head into the gym where a number of girls waited, when she pulled Lucas aside. "Real talk?" She bit her lip.

He ran her hands up and down her arms. She was still cold from the walk over. "Shoot."

"This is freaking me out, Lucas. I'm not damaged goods, or at least I don't think I am. I'm…nervous to go in their alone."

"Hey," he lifted her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his. "It's going to be fine. I'll be right out here if you need me."

She nodded, more to herself than to him, and peeled herself away from him. She took the name tag from the woman in charge and headed inside. There was only maybe a dozen girls, all in small groups and Maya already wanted to call for Lucas. Twenty chairs were set up in a circle and a woman with black curly hair asked everyone t take a seat. Maya sat and was surprised to see a familiar face in the spot next to her. Missy. The girl who had liked Lucas and tried to tempt him with her skin. She had a bow in her brown hair and slid Maya a glare. What was she doing here?

"Welcome, ladies. I'm Margret. Let me just say that this is a safe space, we're all here to work through events that have happened to us. I'm going to start of by saying, you are not whatever happened to you. You are are beautiful, confident women."

Maya rolled her eyes. What bullshit. This was going to be a preaching seminar and she didn't want any part of it.

"Ms….Hart? Is it? Why don't you start us off?" Margret smiled, having read Maya's body language and specifically chosen her for this.

"Start off with what?" Maya scowled.

"With what you've been through," Margret advised.

Maya shifted, uncomfortable. "Uh, why?"

"Because talking about it can lead to understanding and growth."

"Well, this guy sort of pretended to be into my best friend and then he jumped me in school. And then he started to force to me to be with him by threatening my best friend, and he would show up in my room in the middle of the night. I started locking my windows." She spoke fast, wanting to get it over with.

"So that's the overview," Margret said. "Why don't you give us one moment, in detail, the worst moment, if you're comfortable. And please keep all names anonymous."

Maya glances around at the girls. Some of them were paying attention, while others, like Missy, were staring around the room, trying to focus on anything else. Maya had to admit, she wanted this to work. She didn't want to be afraid at night anymore. She wanted to leave her window unlocked.

"The worst time was when I thought Lu—When I thought this guy, my friend, was the one outside my window at night. I'd expected it to be him and then it wasn't. It was the other guy…ugh I'll call him Jake. So, that moment freaked me out pretty bad. You go from thinking you're safe one moment with some you love, and then you realize you're not and it's just…" She coughed, covering the fact that her voice had cut off without meaning to.

"Not feeling safe is one of the worst feelings," agreed Margret. "Thank you Maya. Let's go to you…Ms. Bradford. Why don't you tell us about you and why your here?"

Maya sunk back into her chair with relief. All the eyes shifted from her to Missy. "The same guy she's talking about Jake, did stuff to me," Missy shrugged. Maya wouldn't peel her eyes away. Charlie had hurt her too? When? How badly? "And so now, not only do I have to get over that, but I need to get over the fact that I could have prevented _her_ from being here." Missy slid her gaze to Maya.

The session went by more quickly after that. The girls shared their stories, most of which were actually worse than Maya's, and it was clear this first class was about getting to know the other girls.

"Missy," Maya said as soon as the session ended. She practically chased her out of the gym. "Wait."

"Maya, I don't want to talk about it." Missy sounded as bitchy as ever, but Maya knew there was at least something behind her attitude.

"Are you okay?" Maya asked. They had stopped near the doors and she wanted to hear her whole story.

"Ask yourself that question, and I bet we'll have the same answer," she said and pushed out of the door. Maya mentally asked herself it. The answer was no. She wasn't.

Missy went down the hall and her mother was waiting there. Missy hugged her and Maya wished she had that too. Her mother only knew something had happened with her and a boy at school, that was the extent of what Mr. Matthews told her. But she didn't tell her mom more than that. Lucas was here now, with Riley. She went to them and they held her. She had them and it was enough. But she couldn't stop thinking about every encounter Charlie had had with Missy. If anything, the meeting here had made her more afraid. She didn't want to scare Riley, but later, at night, she would tell Lucas. And he would listen and hold her and stay the night, his arms the only reason she could sleep through the night.


	15. Chapter 15

"Missy!" Maya was sprinting to catch up with her after class.

"What?" Missy's stare wasn't as cold as it used to be, which Maya chalked up to her feeling responsible for what happened to Maya.

Maya was out of breath. Missy's legs were twice as long as hers. "Why won't you tell me what happened?"

"What's there to tell?" Missy set her bag down at her locker. She wasn't looking at Maya. "I wanted to slow things down. Charlie didn't. After it happened, when I told people, no one believed me. And why would they? I'm Missy Bradford. I bet you wouldn't have believe me, considering I showed Lucas my leg." She added the last part with an apologetic side nod.

"Yes, I would have," Maya responded, but she wasn't sure if it was 100 percent the truth. "I'm sorry it happened."

Missy inclined her head. "I'm…sorry I didn't stop it from happening to you." She switched her books for the next class and walked away. A hand wrapped itself around Maya's belly from behind. She didn't tense under its weight the way she used to. The classes for self help, were indeed helping. She still locked her windows, but she wasn't so jumpy. And this was the first time she'd gotten Missy to talk to her and explain. Third time's a charm. Maya turned and puckered her lips, anticipating his kiss.

Lucas bent his head and ran his thumb along her jaw, teasing before meeting her mouth. "Hey you," he winked.

"Hee Haw." She breathed him in. "I missed you."

"You just saw me in class two seconds ago," he chuckled, but he missed her too. He missed her ever second she wasn't with him. Lucas started kissing her neck, lifting her off her several inch tall heels. They were quickly getting into it, which was not good. This wasn't the time or place

"Will you quit it?!" Maya smacked Lucas's arm after she pulled away. Lately he couldn't keep his hands off her.

Lucas managed to set her down and restrain ever urge to skip their next class and spend it in the janitors closet.

"I have something to tell you, but I don't want you to get mad." She stepped back and he got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"So don't tell me." They were in a good place and he didn't want anything to ruin it. No more change. "I. Don't. Want. To. Know. Maya."

She went on anyway. "I'm going on a date with Josh."

"Come again." Lucas's jaw worked. What the hell was she talking about?

"It's not a real date," she rushed to calm him, "but when he came to Topanga's he was talking about going to a business program at his school and not having a date…"

"And you felt bad and volunteered," Lucas filled in.

She chewed her lip. "Does it bother you?"

"No, why would my girlfriend going on a date with an older guy she constantly flirts with bother me?" He spoke sarcastically.

"I _used_ to flirt with him. Past tense, huckleberry. And it's just because he didn't have a date."

"Maya, he's playing you." Lucas rested his hand on the wall, getting close to her face. "He could get a date if he wanted one, but instead he chose to manipulate you into going out with him. He wants you. Anyone with eyes does."

"He's not like that Lucas. He's a good guy."

"Yeah, so is your boyfriend, who will be your ex-boyfriend if you don't cancel with him," Lucas's tone held no room for compromise. He was serious and this was his final word.

"Excuse me? That's not how our relationship is going to work. You don't get to threaten leaving me just because I'm doing something you don't like."

"You're not doing something I don't like," he laughed, but there was nothing funny about it, "you're going out with another guy. How is that okay?!"

Down the hallway, Riley and Farkle hears the argument. They pulled their mouths away from each other for the first time since class had ended.

"It's not a real date. I'm just helping out a friend!" Maya shook her head in disbelief, blonde hair falling behind her shoulder. How did he not get that it wasn't a big deal?

"How would you feel if I was helping out Riley by going on a date with her?" He said and then immediately snapped his mouth shut. He should have said any name besides Riley.

"Last time I checked, you already dated her, so maybe there's something between you two I still don't know about!" She stalked past him, down to Art. They had the class together now, but Lucas didn't follow her.

"So we're back to that? Me and Riley?!" He shouted, standing there.

She whipped her head back at him, continuing to walk. "Yeah! We are."

"Great," Lucas muttered.

Farkle had on a hard stare, worried the way Maya was about Riley and Lucas. And Riley's eyes were wide. She didn't understand how she was once again in the middle of her two best friends.

"Go to her," Farkle murmured to Riley. He squeezed her hand, and she went, and he crossed the hallway to Lucas. "Just breathe. You can go paint some storm clouds." He clamped a hand on Lucas shoulder and they, very slowed, inched toward the art room. Lucas wanted to tell Farkle that art was what helped Maya, not what helped him. But he said nothing, and entered the classroom, where Maya was already painting.


	16. Chapter 16

"How does he not get it?" Maya said to Riley. Her best friend was sitting on the seat next to her, painting a very fat, very purple cat. Farkle, Zay, and Lucas were all conversing on the other side of the room in voices to low to be heard. "It's not a real date and I don't want it to be."

"And why not Maya?" Riley had to often pull the answers from the blonde.

"Because I love huckleberry... Despite him being an idiot."

"Did you say that?" Riley raised a brow in challenge. Maya had come to terms with her feelings with Lucas awhile ago, but sometimes she didn't understand that Lucas needed the reassurance. Maya did everything for a reason, none of which were selfish, but to Lucas, Riley knew it looked like Maya was pushing him away.

"No...I didn't. But it was implied."

It was NOT implied.

Riley checked at Maya's canvas.

"What?" Maya snapped.

Riley, if it was possible, smirked wider than she ever had. "You're painting Lucas!" she chirped.

It was a work of surrealism, how the artist viewed the subject, their teacher would have said. Lucas was in beautiful golds and silvers, almost like an angel, but around his arms was a darker outline, like a secret, night sky hidden behind the beauty of the sun. Riley couldn't help but look at the perfectly chiseled stomach. How did Maya know Lucas's abs so well? She had a pretty good guess, but Maya's v-card was still intact. Or if it wasn't, Riley was going to give her best friend a piece of her mind for not telling her about it.

"Well, would you look at that. Hey ranger Rick!" Maya called, even though she was still mad. "You're my muse."

Lucas looked over the moment she said his name,well, nickname. He couldn't help it. The same way he couldn't help but stare at his twin, half naked on the canvas and laugh. "I'm a trophy?"

Riley frowned. Maybe she interpreted the painting wrong.

"You're supposed to be sunlight, you moron," Maya said and Riley smiled and Lucas slidi away from his friends. He came closer, licking his thumb. Maya din't know why until her rubbed her cheek. There was gold paint everywhere.

She pushed his hand away. She wasn't done, and so there was no point in washing up until later. Plus, this was where she felt most like herself, creating, covered in color.

"Listen," she said. "You don't have anything to worry about with me and uncle boing."

"Just the fact that you call him uncle boing tells me otherwise," he argued, but tried not to sound like he was fighting.

"Alright, I'll cancel with him. I'm yours and you are definetely mine. Got that? No Riles. No one one. For the rest of your life. And if we break up, I'm going to make every-girl-you-date's lives a living hell." She pointed an excusing finger at him.

"Yes Mam. And if Josh really can't get a date, you can go with him. But ONLY as his nieces best friend," Lucas wagered.

Maya smiled, almost as wide as Riley had before. She picked up a tube of blue. "Should you do it or should I?"

"No. Maya."

"I'm gonna do it, you wanna run or you want it straight in the face?"

He cringed. "Please."

"If there's a punishment every time you fight with me, you're going to stop doing it. I'm training you," Maya grinned.

"Like a dog?" He questioned, and before he could answer, she held up the tube as high as her arms could reach and squeezed out the paint onto his head. Blue dropped down his temple, decorating him in the acrylic.

He reached up and used the back of his forearm to wipe it away, keeping it from his eyes. He took what stained his cheek and before she could prepare herself, swiped Maya's hair and cheek and neck and neck.

He laughed and then she did too, ready to grab more paint. He grabbed her tiny wrist an inch from the bottles. "Uh, let's not."

It was good that he stopped her there because otherwise everyone in the room would have gotten dragged into their war.

"Crap!" Maya spat. They'd gotten blue of Lucas's twin, and one of his eyes was now a running drop of wet paint. Crap on crap.

Lucas put a paint free hand on her shoulder, kneading the muscle before she could tense up. "Don't get all worked over, you have your whole life to paint me."

"Awwwwwwww," a voice sang. But it wasn't Maya. It was Riley, watching with her hand in the pa of her hand. "Farkley," she hummed. "We should start on our angle for winning favorite couple next year." They were going to need time to campaign if they were going up against, that.

"Sprinkles, we're the editors. We can just nominate and win without a campaign," Farkle said and stared at her grumpy cat in amusement.


	17. Chapter 17

**UGHHH Guys I'm so mad. I made SO MANY changes to this and they got deleted. i apologize but I can't do it again. Im too lazy and have actual work to do. Hope it's okay without it.**

"I'm sorry Josh, I can't go with you. I'm dating Lucas and he's not really crazy about the idea of us going out, even if it's just as friends.

 _Smart guy_ , thought Josh. _If I had this girl, there was no way I be letting her out of my sight, let alone on a date with another guy. How am I gonna get her to lose the cowboy?_

It wasn't as if Josh hated Lucas, to be frank, he didn't even know the kid, but he did know Maya, and if these past few weeks had taught him anything, it was that he wanted her, more than he wanted any of the girls he met at school or that his friends set him up with. In these past few weeks, since he'd been here the last time with her at Topangas, he'd been particularly grumpy. His friends had noticed, his family had noticed, even strangers on the subway had noticed, offering him tissues when he'd been sitting and thinking about Maya Hart. How he had missed his shot. He had it so bad for this girl.

"I get it, bur Maya, it's tomorrow. If you told me a week ago, I could have found someone else to go with. It's tomorrow," he said. In his head, he was begging her to go with him.

"I know, I'm sorry." She sounded like she felt: guilty.

"It's okay, I'll just go to the one next year." The business conference was an annual thing.

Maya couldn't believe what he said. "What? No! You should still go."

"It's okay Maya. I'll catch the next one."

"It's not a train, Josh. You were the only student invited to this, it's a big deal and I know how excited you are. You know what, just let me talk to him. Pick me up tomorrow at seven."

"Really? That'd be great Maya," Josh smiled. Maya hart and him were going on a date, and after he showed her what she'd somehow forgotten-how good of a guy he was, how right he was for her-shed leave Lucas and be with him. And everything would be right.

Maya left Topangas, not realizing until she' stepped out the door that it had started raining. She pulled out her phone and stood under the awning. Lucas picked up on the first ring. "Hey," he said.

"Huckleberry, where are you?"

"Just about to leave school. Why?"

Maya remembered that Lucas stayed late after school on Thursdays to tutor kids. "I'm at Topangas, you wanna come meet me?"

"Is Josh still there?" His voice sounded tight.

"Uh, yeah he's inside. I think he's leaving soon though. Come buy me chocolate."

There was rustling on the other end of the phone. "When did it start raining? And yes, I'll buy you chocolate."

"Yum," Maya smiled. "See you in five sweets."

"Sweets? That's a new one. I like it," he commented and then hung up. The door to Topanga's opened, ringing the attached bell and starling Maya.

"Sorry," Josh grinned. That kind of smile used to make her stomach knot. Now that effect was giving by Lucas, just by being around him. When had things changed so quickly? "So I'll see you tomorrow?"

Maya sighed, and in the exhale was the weight of Lucas. What would he say? "Yes."

Josh, to Maya's surprise, pulled her into a quick hug before disappearing into the rain. Lucas showed up shortly after, ducking under the awning. He was soaked and took off his jacket, kissing Maya on the mouth. Her teeth bit down on his lower lip, gentle.

"You definitely deserve chocolate," Lucas decided. They went inside and he bought her a chocolate croissant. "So, how did he take it?" He finally asked.

Maya chewed her dessert a bit slower, giving her time to prepare the way she would phrase this. She swallowed. "It's tomorrow and he can't get a date on such short notice. Which is my fault. So please let me go. It's only three hours and you can pick me up and we can have our first sleepover..." She tempted him, biting her lip.

Lucas touched it where she bit, getting rid of chocolate. He put the thumb to his lips and sucked off the chocolate and Maya was speechless. How did he make everything so... intimate? Sexy? She couldn't find the word.

"You can go. Riley told me I need to trust you, and I do. It's him I don't trust and you can't blame me for that after the Charlie situation."

"I don't," Maya swore. "But Josh is josh. He walked me and Riley home when we snuck out to his school. He would never hurt me."

"Okay," lucas said. He didn't mention going to Mr. Matthews and checking with him on that fact. Cory had been impressed with Lucas's level of concern, but he assured that his little brother was fine company for Maya. "And I'm going to take you up on that sleepover thing. My parents are out of town on business anyway. As long as your mother and you are good with that."

He raised a brow and Maya sucked her cheeks in. She remembered Riley saying she was scared of huckleberry, and remembered herself responding, 'scared of ranger Rick? Sure honey, you be as scared as you like.' But now she was scared. A night alone with lucas. Just her and him...no one else around...

Lucas knew what she was thinking. "Maya, we don't have to do anything. We can just put on a movie and cuddle."

"Cuddle?" she snickered. "Whatever. I'm in and my mom will be happy that she can pick up the night shifts." This slumber party had been her idea, but it should have been Lucas's. Now the whole time she would be with josh, she wouldn't be able to think of anything but her and Lucas.

Huckleberry stretched his arm out and ripped off a piece of the croissant. Maya starred at his lips while he chewed. They were full, totally kissable. He wasn't perfect, and Maya understood that, but he was pretty darn close.

"Why are you staring at me?" He touched his chin. "Do I have chocolate on me?"

"No," she said flatly. "You're perfect."

"Ah, you were thinking about how hot I am," he winked,

"Was not."

"I bet you stay up at night thinking about how hot I am."

"You're out of your mind Ranger Rick. And your ego is big enough already,"

"Ah, you think I'm sexy," he raised his eyebrows in a look that really was attractive.

"You're a whole lot more sexy when you're not talking."

He had to laugh at that. She did too, but not as much. She needed to find a dress for Josh's business….conference? party? She wasn't sure what it was, but she needed an outfit, and another one to pack to Lucas's house. God, where was Riley when she needed her?

She was in her room. It was almost seven by the time Maya opened Riley's window and ducked inside. "Riles?"

The room was dark, but not quiet. There was the unmistakable sound of movement, even before Maya had spoken Riley's name. But now, the grumbling was louder, and Maya wished she hadn't gone to turn on the light. Frarkle was on the bed and Riley was closer to the foot of it. Oh, shit. What were they doing?!

"Maya!" Riley scrambled to her feet. "Uh, sorry, uh, my parents are at the movies and Auggies at Ava's."

"No, it's my bad," Maya said, already going back to the window.

"Wait!" Riley urged. Farkle threw on his shirt "Do you need anything?"

"Farkle, you think you could give us five minutes," Maya asked. She was trying very hard not to let her eyes wander on him. But they did anyway. "Damn Farkle. And, good for you, Riley."

Farkle turned bright red. "Riley, I'll be in the kitchen."

"So, what's up," Riley said, unaware of the fact that her hair was all over the place. "Bay window?"

Maya sat down on the ledge. "I'll make it quick. So tomorrow, I'm going to spend the night with Lucas."

"Aw," Riley clasped her hands together. "That's so cute. So what's the problem?"

Maya widened her eyes and stuck out her neck. "Uh, hello? Rilles? I'm going to spend the night with him, alone."

"Oh," Riley caught on. "Well are you going to do it? Do you want to? Lucas only wants you to be comfortable Maya."

"Where are you and Farkle? I mean, I didn't think you were _there_ yet, but," Maya gestured to the bed, "clearly…" Maya took a deep breath. "You're okay with being alone with him in that way."

"Is this because of the Charlie stuff?" Riley frowned.

"No. Never mind. I'm okay."

"Tomorrow, all day we can prep you," Riley swore. "You can choose your cutest pajamas, you know, the ones with the pigs on them!"

Somehow Maya didn't think Lucas would find the pigs as cute as Riley did. And besides, she didn't want to be cute. She wanted to be sexy, in a silk robe maybe. Something that would make Lucas dizzy. She wanted to have the upper hand.

"Farkle! Get back in here!" Maya called. She hugged Riley and opened up the door. "Be safe," she said as an after thought.

"Oh, you and Lucas are lightyears ahead of us peaches. But thank you."

Maya nodded and ducked out the door.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey guys! THIS IS SHORT, I know, but, I wasn't gonna post more, but you are all begging on my insta! If you don't follow my Instagram, you really should ;) lucayatics101**

Maya hadn't tried all that hard for her "date" with Josh. It was a simple red sundress with a black vest and heels, but you'd think she'd spent her entire life prepping for it by the expression on Josh's face when she opened the door. He stood there in a long sleeve white button down and black dress pants. "Wow," he breathed. "Maya, you look amazing."

"Doesn't she?" Lucas came down the stairs, appearing out of no where holding a backpack over his shoulder that was obviously Maya's. It had beetles and Rolling Stones buttons pinned all over it.

Maya took the hand Lucas extended before saying, "thanks," to the both of them.

"I got your stuff, and I'll get _you_ later," Lucas smirked and leaned down to kiss her, right in front of Josh, who was stunned to silence. He couldn't look at them, yet he couldn't look away. In that moment, he felt like he didn't know Maya at all. Maybe, the truth was, he didn't. Josh only saw of glimpses of her at family gatherings. The guy she was kissing got to see her everyday.

Maya silently rolled her eyes. This kiss was Lucas stamping his claim on her. But she had to give him credit. If her Hee-haw was going out with another girl, Maya would have jumped Lucas in front of her. She was actually impressed Huckleberry didn't need to go that far.

"I'll pick you up at ten."

Josh cleared his throat. Why did he feel so thrown off by a kid three years younger than him. Lucas should be the one feeling threatened. Josh was taking out _his_ girl. "I can walk her back," Josh offered.

"Ah," Lucas sighed. "But that would be out of the way considering she's spending the night at my house with me."

"What?" Josh spat. He couldn't believe that. Maya wasn't ready for that. She was too young. "Your parents let you do that?"

"I'm not that little more, remember Josh," Maya reminded, jumping in before Lucas could fire back. She was specifically not calling him uncle boing in front of Lucas. Nicknames were her and Huckleberry's thing. "And his parents aren't going to be home." She tacked the last part on for Lucas's benefit, who rewarded her with a kiss and a small back rub.

Josh's mouth was having trouble formulating words. Lucas scoffed and reluctantly let go of Maya. "Toothbrush, retainer, pajamas, bra, underwear, change of clothes. Missing anything?"

Maya flushed at how openly lucas spoke, but no so much as josh. He was a tomato.

"Condoms?" Maya asked, half teasing, half wanting to prove two could play at his game. It was clear the more uncomfortable one was the loser.

"Got me," Lucas said, sly. But he turned his back to Josh and smiled at Maya in a way that said everything: we're just having fun, don't be nervous, I love you.

"See you later shortcake." Lucas kissed her once more and almost shouldered Josh on his way out. He looked funny with her backpack. Like Bigfoot in a tutu.

"So you ready?" Maya asked Josh. Before he could answer, she stepped outside and slammed the door shut, padding down the steps. Josh barely had time to pick up the prices of his heart, and then he passed down the steps after her.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys, Im not gonna have time to write over the next few days, so hang tight and be patient. Thanks!**

* * *

"Maya, tell me this is all a joke," Josh coughed. They were on the subway, where they'd been two years before, and Maya had been disappointed, seeing Josh with someone else while she was on her first date with Farkle. The roles had reversed now. Maya had her guy and Josh was the one disappointed.

"Why does it matter Josh? We're just friends, actually, we're more like family. Lucas and me aren't any of your business." There was a warning in her voice. Josh wasn't sure exactly why, but he could tell there was a line he was about to cross.

"You're not old enough for sex, Maya. You're only sixteen!" Strangers on the subway shot glares in their direction. Josh lowered his voice. "That's too young."

"Look, Lucas is seventeen and we know what we're doing. Besides, you're nineteen. When did you start having sex?"

"That's off the point," Josh muttered, not willing to admit he'd lost it at sixteen too.

"Can we just stop? It's none of your business." The subway car doors opened and they stepped out, into the station. It was only a couple blocks from where the plaza was and another extra few from Lucas's house. At this point Maya wanted to head toward the latter. Josh had spent this entire time critiquing her relationship with Lucas and she was sick of the lecture.

"Maya, he's not right for you-"

"How would you know that? You don't even know him, Josh. And trust me, apart from Riley, he's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Now drop it, or I'm going to call him to come get me."

Josh _did_ drop it. Shit. He was supposed to be sweeping her off her feet, not judging her and making her feel bad. "Sorry," he said. "I'm happy you're here with me."

"Why do you keep saying things like that?" she snarled.

His brows furrowed. How did him saying that upset her? "What?"

"You're speaking like you're in love with me. And you're not."

Josh stopped walking. The plaza was in sight, but he didn't want to go in there until they resolves this out here. "Maya,"

"No," Maya slapped a hand over his mouth. "You don't. I know you don't. The only reason your interested in me is because I'm with Lucas. You were intrigued by me when I played hard to get. And you know what, I'll prove it." Maya moved her face in close to Josh's, close enough that he could have kissed her. But, as Maya had anticipated, rather than stay or press closer, the way Lucas did, Josh staggered backwards. He couldn't help it. His brain, which he thought had been head over heels for Maya, was now screaming MAYA-3 yrs younger than you—MAYA! No! Get out!

"See."

Josh was too confused to say anything.

Maya sighed. "Let's go, were gonna be late."

* * *

All of Josh's professors loved Maya, even if she showed zero interest in the business world. He led her around, explaining to her the marketing strategies they were working on. He had to snap his fingers a couple times to keep her from falling asleep. It was actually fun. Josh started to relax. He was still confused, but starting to understand what Maya had meant. She was family to him. He'd watched her grow up with his niece. And he was more into the idea of Maya and him, than actual Maya.

Lucas was waiting outside when Josh walked out with Maya. This time, Josh was less threatened by the cowboy, and had newfound respect. "She's all yours. Be safe," he said.

Lucas took Maya's hand. "Always."

Maya bent down, undoing the zippers on her heels. Most of the business meeting was spent standing on her feet and her souls were aching.

"Jesus," Lucas said, bending down. Maya jumped on, piggy backing and holding her heels in her hand. "Will you stop putting yourself through torture? You don't need to wear death traps shoes all the time."

"Says the guy who calls me a short stack of pancakes," she murmured, resting her cheek against his shirt. "You're the reason my feet are crying."

"I'll rub them later," Lucas promised.

Josh held back a grin. Now that he wasn't focused on socking Lucas in the jaw, he could see that Maya was right. They were good together. The playful banter was just a cover for the compassion, the care, the love, and Josh knew he had misjudged them. They were both serious about each other, serious enough to take things to the next level.

"Goodnight, Josh," Maya said, sleepily. "I had fun."

"Me too," he agreed, and nodded them both off. He stared after them, Lucas holding Maya and Maya holding her voices faded into the night.

* * *

Lucas was on top of Maya, the weight of him resting on his forearms beside Maya's head. They'd been in this position for almost twenty minutes and both their lips were swollen. Lucas flipped them on his bed and sat up, Maya straggling him in his lap.

"You wanna put on a movie?" Lucas asked, lifting her up and carrying her into the living room.

Maya swung her bare feet freely by his waist and got a good grip on his shoulders, helping to keep herself up. Lucas didn't need it. "Why? We're not going to watch it," she insisted.

"It'll be a good backdrop, like they have in movies."

"So we're watching a movie to create the atmosphere of being in a movie?" She chuckled deeply. Lucas set her down on the couch."We're not a movie or tv show huckleberry." *audience laughter* "That's what you and Riley were."

"Seriously Maya? First off, let that be the last time you ever bring up me and Riley romantically. And two, I just thought it would ease the pressure. Again, we don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"So you don't want to have sex?" Maya was blunt.

"Hey," he cupped her face, "don't say that like it doesn't mean anything."

"Why? You were bringing up my underwear earlier in front of Josh like it was."

Lucas pulled down the waistband of her jeans just a smidgen, seeing she was wearing red ones. Nice.

"So it means something, but you don't want there to be any pressure? That doesn't make sense. If it means something, there should be pressure."

Lucas ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Pressure on you. I don't want there to be any pressure on you, Maya."

"So you're supposed to bare the weight of our first time, on only your shoulders?" Maya asked. That didn't seem fair.

He shrugged. "If you were Riley," he said and then let out a string of curses because he just told Maya never to bring that up again, and here he was going back on his word. "I'd light candles around the room and put roses on the bed," he explained. "But you're not like her. I don't think you want those things. You deserve them, but you don't want them."

He had a point there. Maya didn't want some cliche, fairytale-esc first time. She'd almost rather they did in a park, something more original.

"So, I had to think hard about what you WOULD want," he smiled, like he had a secret. He dug an item from his back pocket. It was a key, and he held it up. Maya didn't recognize it at all. "Go get your shoes—ones that wont hurt—grab your bag."

* * *

By the time they'd finally stopped running, Maya was tired and sweaty and had no idea where they were going. It was dark out and hard to make out the places around them. Until, Lucas turned her and she knew exactly where they were.

She couldn't believe it. How did he do it? How could he possibly have—This was beyond her wildest dreams. They were standing in front of Museum of Modern Art.

Maya gasped, squeezing his hand with anticipation and excitement and so much love she thought her heart might burst. "We're going to do it in the MOMA?!"

Lucas let her up the stairs without answer. He opened up his black backpack and took out the key, leading her around the side entrance.

"What gallery should be do it in?!" she beamed. Lucas had the stupidest grin on his face. He loved that he could make her this happy.

"Hey," Maya said, stopping him from turning the door. He looked at her, both of them smiling now. "I don't know how you did this, but thank you."

He leaned froward and kissed her and when he finally pulled away, he turned the key and opened the door.


	20. Chapter 20

Lucas led Maya by the hand, not because he wanted to, but because otherwise they would never get anywhere. She wanted to stop and see every exhibit. "Huckleberry," she cried and reached out to the exhibit that was behind them, whimpering.

His uncle billy had helped Lucas get the key to get in here since he was a security guard at the museum. What they were doing was _still_ illegal, on so many levels. She was worth it though.

"Will you come on?" Lucas tugged her forward. He opened the door to the auditorium. "I already set an alarm on my phone so we'll have enough time to go through everything tomorrow morning before we have to be out of here."

On the stage were blankets and pillows and a picnic basket with all of Mayas favorite foods. Cheese. Chocolate. Gram crackers.

Maya gasped. "What the hell is this?"

Lucas let go of her hand and went over to the control panel his uncle has taught him to use. He pushed buttons and turned the volume up and out of no where, the rounded ceiling was projected with stars, resembling a perfect night sky. Low, slow music played. It was the most romantic setting Maya could dream up. Lucas knew she loved the stars. They had been the first thing she'd drawn, that day her, Riley, Farkle, and Lucas went to the library. It had been on yellow lined paper and in pencil. Since then, she'd been trying to get them right in paint, the size, the twinkle, the surrounding and endless darkness. In science, she learned that the stars and the galaxy w are actually thousands of years old, so looking into the stars meant she was looking into the past.

The past showed how they had gotten here. Her and Lucas wound up together. She had pushed Riley and Lucas together and yet they still ended up HERE and Maya took slow steps to Lucas, remembering that. Without speaking, she kissed him. She hoped that he could tell how much this meant to her, that he would do this for her. Her mouth moved off his. "Real talk? I love so much," she smiled with more happiness than she thought possible for someone like herself. Somehow who didn't believe in happy endings. Tears welled and Lucas hurried to brush them away from her cheeks.

"I know," Lucas teased and Maya punched his arm. This was supposed to be a serious moment. He burst out laughing and pulled her against his grin. His arms slid around her waist and picked her up, walking closer to the stage. "I love you too."

Maya hugged him,. "You know you've ruined me, right?" she whispered.

"Why?" he questioned, curious.

"Because," she set her feet back down, "you've given me hope, and hope leads to expectations, and how can anyone ever expect to match you after this?" She stretched out her arms to encompass the room, the museum, the world. He had given her everything and it had ruined her.

"Good thing no one is going to come after me then," Lucas said. He was a hundred percent serious, and Maya didn't understand it. They were in high school. How did he expect them to be together forever? How did he have faith in them that was that strong? Yeah sure, Mr. And Mrs. Matthews had done it, but they were Cory and Topanga. Maya's parents couldn't last five years and they had her to hold them together.

"You want to know how I'm sure of that?" Lucas asked. "It's because you knew what huckleberry meant before you started calling me it." His smile was from ear to ear.

Maya flushed beat red. She was dying on the inside.

"You're the man I'm looking for? That's the definition and it's not a coincidence you called me that Maya. No matter how many Josh's come along, I'm always going to be what's right for you and you're always going to be what's best for you haven't noticed it yet, I'm completely consumed and captivated by you Maya Hart. I am now, and I will be a hundred years from now because I cannot figure you out. And I want to spend my entire life trying."

Maya's flush deepened, and she was the one leading him by the hand now, up to the makeshift bed. She told him to sit and he did.

Maya used the backs of her heels to take off her shoes and her hands went to her jacket. She undid the zipper, and as Lucas had stated aloud, he was consumed by her, too captivated to speak. She slid it off and then took off her shirt. Lucas stared in bewilderment. Her body was clean white, like the canvass she always started out with. Her bra was a deep blue and her chest was smaller, but what she lacked up top she made up for in hips. She kneeled in front of him and took off his boots. Lucas felt like a little kid, incompetent to do anything by himself. Maya was kissing him again and grabbing at the bottom of his shirt. It was stuck underneath him. Lucas reached back and wiggled and pulled it over his back. Getting the shirt off himself, snapped Lucas back into himself. In one second, he had unclipped her bra and let out a breath of relief that he didn't need to fumble with it. Maya heard the exhale and would have poked fun at him if she wasn't so concentrated on getting no barriers between them. Lucas layer her down and tried to slow them, but every muscle of his body was screaming for him to rip her clothes off and do this.

But, they had their whole lives for that kind of sex. There was only one first time. He concentrated on the fact that this would hurt her and that slowed him down. He didn't want to hurt Maya, ever.

"Hey," Lucas said, breaking away for a moment. "We don't need to do this now, if you don't want."

Maya sat up a little, not self conscious of her nudity in the least. He was in awe of her confidence, although any girl who looked like her should be. "What's wrong?"' she puzzled.

"Nothing. I just don't want to hurt you."

"Hey," she tapped on his chin. "I'm okay."

"Just tell me to stop."

"I'm not going to," she swore, laying back down after placing a pillow behind her head. "I'm okay Lucas. Please," she murmured. Her hands reached up and used his shoulders, easing him down. She kissed his collar bone and his neck and his cheek, the touch of her lips soft and tender.

"No games, no jokes. Take off your pants." She held her straight face for about two seconds before thy both started laughing. But it was them and Lucas got up and made a show of undoing the button on his jeans and sliding down the zipper.

"Ooooooohhhh sexy," she smirked. "Now." She yanked him down by the end of his jeans and he tripped, catching himself on top of her. "Come on. No pun intended."

Maya slid off her own pants and Lucas's fingers trailed from her calfs to her thighs. He used his body to move her legs apart and she slid down the waistband of his boxers. Then they were both naked and his face was above hers and the background was the ceiling of stars. She wanted to remember this moment, take a mental picture, so she could paint it later.

"You're so beautiful it's annoying," she said.

He bowed his head, his forehead touching hers and their breath mixing. "You're more. God Maya."

He said her name like it was the most important word in existence. Maya. Maya. Maya. He could live on that one word forever.

Lucas slid in slow and Maya felt the pressure warm her belly. It was painful, but a new kind of pain that she could tell would stop if they kept going. Lucas held her gaze and then kissed her and they lost themselves in one another. By the time it was over, Maya no longer felt the pain, but it was more pleasure.

"Huckleberry," she shook her head grinning. "My huckleberry."

"Jesus Christ Maya, that was—" Lucas couldn't stop smiling and kissing her, pecking her cheeks and ears.

"Yeah, I'd say we're already ahead of the game," she agreed. He pulled Maya into him, and she wondered why she was suddenly so sleepy. He kissed her shoulder and neck and she was dozing off. "I'm so tired," she mumbled.

"Then go to sleep," he whispered. "I'm going to wake you up early anyway so you can see all the art this place has to offer."

She turned and put her head on his shoulder and they both fell asleep under the stars.


	21. Chapter 21

Maya had been coming to school late, leaving early, and making up weird, totally irrational excuses like having to accompany her mom to the dentist since Katy was afraid of it(that part was true) to avoid Lucas these past few days.

"Did you get it?" Maya asked her best friend after she came through the door.

Riley nodded and pulled the pregnant test out of the cvs bag. "Here." She handed it over.

Maya took it in her anxious fingers.

"I really think you should tell him, peaches. You're making him feel like he did something wrong and he should be here for this."

"He didn't so anything wrong, I just..need some time apart. When I'm around him, I can't think," she grumbled. "You and Farkle still fighting?"

Riley inclined her head, unhappily. The happy-go-lucky couple had magically transitioned, almost as fast as Farkle's puberty had turned him from turtlenecks to tall, rugged, and handsome. Maya wasn't sure why they were mad at each other exactly until Riley reminded her. "He doesn't want to get married, like ever."

Farkle may have wanted to fake marry the two girls he loved most in the world, he didn't want to really marry anyone. His mom constantly threw her wedding band at his father and to Farkle, there seemed no point. He never wanted Riley to throw a ring at him.

"What happened to him doing anything to make you happy?" Maya questioned, thinking she better talk to him.

"He thinks not being married will be best for both of us."

"There's sooo much time Riles. You guys are in high school. You don't need to think about this now." She was the one about to have a baby. Possibly.

"Yeah," Riley agreed. "But isn't it better if we fight now rather than get closer and then break up later? I mean, even you want to get married and you've always been the hopeless one!" She closed the door.

"Gee, thanks," Maya teased. They crossed to the bathroom and Maya was happy they were talking about something besides her becoming a teenage mother. She took out the stick and stared at the blank oval in the middle for a long time. This stick held her future.

"Maya?" Riley spoke softly. "Are you sure I can't call him?"

Maya shook her head, but when Riley took out her phone she couldn't bring herself to stop her.

"Hi, Lucas. I'm at Maya's. Can you come?" A pause. "Yeah, she's okay. Well, sort of. No, just you." She hung up and Maya finally put the stick on the counter and stepped away. "He's on his way."

The blonde put the white toilet cover down and slumped on it. Riley left her friend , going to wait for Lucas by the door. She knew Maya wasn't going to be able to explain without having a complete meltdown. She would want Riley to be the messenger.

Lucas showed in record time. He'd asked Riley if Maya needed anything and she'd replied, "just you." That's how he knew it was bad. That, and he said he wanted to talk to Maya himself and Riley had hung up.

"What's wrong?" He asked as soon as Maya's door opened. Riley didn't let him in, but pushed him back and shut the door behind them both. "Is she in there?"

"She is," Riley responded and put both her hands on his arms. "Lucas, I need you to listen to me and wait until I'm done speaking to respond. Can you do that?"

"Is whatever is it why she's been weird lately?"

Riley drew in an audible breath. Clearly, this was going to be hard. "Yes. She was supposed to get her period last week and she didn't. And yesterday she felt nausea in my dads class which is why she left early."

"She's pregnant." It wasn't a question. Lucas wasn't an idiot. A missed period and nausea meant one thing. He was going to be a teenage father. He didn't know what to think except how he had ruined, not only his, but Maya's life too. Of course they would make it work, somehow, some way, because that was what you did for the people you loved. But what about everything he had wanted for himself? For Maya? He had never told Maya, but he had a plan. Him, going to medical school, her at NYC, getting her paintings out into the world. The two of them traveling, going places that he wanted to see and Maya wanted to capture in paintings.

He lifted Riley to the side and pushed open the door

"We're not sure!" Riley called.

"Maya! Maya?" Lucas sounded like he was in a forest, calling out for help.

A noise came from the bathroom. It was locked and Lucas reached up to find the key above the door frame. He entered without warning.

Maya was sitting cross legged on the toilet cover. As soon as she stood up, they met each other in the middle. Her arms went around his neck and he had his around he small of her back. "I'm so scared," was all Maya could say and he held her tighter. Riley watched them silently. Even their hugs were too intimate to stare at for more than a couple seconds. She felt like she was intruding, so she want to the kitchen and started to make Maya's favorite, Mac and cheese. Hopefully it would make her feel better, no matter what the answer was, one pink line or two.

Lucas shut the bathroom door. "Take it. Let's just do it and find out. The sooner we know, the more time we have to come to terms with it."

Maya sighed. "Then go get me a glass of water because I don't have to pee." Either she began crying or laughing, Lucas couldn't tell.

"Sorry, I'm just..." She choked. "A ball of nerves."

Lucas eased her by rubbing a hand over her hair. "Come on, let's get you out of this bathroom, get you some liquids and we'll put something good on the tv. I'll even let you pick a horror movie."

Maya laughed. How could he do that? He could take a moment weighed with so much pressure and anxiety and diffuse the tension completely.

"I love you," she voiced. It was one of the one things she was sure about in her life..

"Jesus, you really are pregnant," Lucas joked, on account of her being a sap. She rolled her eyes and opened up the door but not before he got in a quick kiss and said "I love you more," into her ear.

On the inside though, Lucas was freaking out and it wasn't because of the music getting louder from the film—someone was going to get murdered soon. The truth was, he was doing everything in his power to keep Maya calm, but the moment she said she had to pee, Lucas thought he might faint. She's been in the bathroom alone-per her request-for five minutes now. How could it take this long?! He banged on the door and it opened up with a gleaming Maya. She ran and jumped onto the couch and threw herself at huckleberry. "There's not going to be any little rangers!" She squealed. "I repeat, no little rangers!"  
Riley was screaming, "yay!" But Lucas could only catch his girlfriend and set her down and say, "holy fuck Maya! Do you know how close that was?! What the hell were we thinking?! We could have ruined everything we have going for us." His heart was slamming inside his chest.

"Lucas," Maya clasped his cheeks. They were at eye level now that she had somehow gotten back on the couch and he was on the floor. "It's okay."

"No it's not Maya, that scared me shitless." He couldn't meet her eyes.

"I know," she kissed him, quick and sweet. "But we're okay." He held her, or more accurately, she held him, his head against her chest as she uttered promises of how things were going to be fine. There was nothing to worry about.

Riley rose the pot of the stove, grinning madly. "Who wants Mac and cheese?!"


	22. Chapter 22

Everything was back to normal. Well, for Lucas and Maya. Mr. Matthews could tell that much when he walked into the classroom and found Maya perched up on his lap with her head bent down to Lucas's shoulder, sleeping.

"She was up late last night," Lucas explained.

"Why?" Cory was almost afraid to ask. Nothing sexual, he wished.

"We were watching the Red Sox game and it was my fault. I told her I didn't think she could stay up, but of course, that only challenged her."

Cory thought of the time when his own father had let him watch baseball until all hours of the night. The next day he had failed a test in Mr. Feeny's class. Lucky for Maya, there was no test today, but he was pretty sure the homework was due and Cory had a feeling Maya hadn't completeld it.

"Two minutes and she's got to be awake or go home," Cory warned and Lucas nodded, already rubbing Maya's back and soothing words to pull her into consciousness.

While the class's favorite couple was off to a good start this morning, the most-likely to-smile-herself-to-death Riley was late and most-likely-to-be-farkle Farkle came in behind her. Both of them looked heated, or as heated as someone _could_ look if their face was like Riley's.

"What's todays thing?" Cory asked abruptly. To his surprise it was Maya who answered. Apparently Lucas had gotten her to wake up pretty quickly.

"Marriage."

"Ah," Cory went to the board and wrote out the word across the board. "What do you all think about this?"

Maya held up her hand and it left Cory thinking that she should stay up late with Lucas more often.

"Yes, Mrs. Hart."

"A piece of paper didn't help my parents stay together. My dad still left. So, marriage doesn't matter. Divorce rates are higher than ever."

"Lucas," Cory turned his attention to the boy behind her. He had his eyes glued to the back of Maya's head, though she intently staring straight ahead, not turning back to see his expression the way she usually did. "How do you feel about that?"

Lucas took a moment to collect his words, glancing between Maya and Mr. Matthews. "I guess I believe in tradition. I want to promise someone I will be with them and for them to promise to be faithful to me in return."

"But how do you know someone will keep their promise?" Maya pointed out. "My Mom believed my father would when they got married, and he didn't. He left her."

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "You don't trust me?" Was that what this was about?

It dawned on Cory that this was become a lesson for everyone, not just Riley and Farkle. The funny thing was, he knew if Riley and Lucas were together, and Maya and Farkle were together, he wouldn't need to teach as many lessons as he like this one. The way the couples were set up made life harder. Better, yes, but definitely harder.

"I want a huge wedding!" Riley blurted. "With a white sparkly dress and everyone I know, and Peaches as my maid of honor."

Farkle banged his head against the desk with a thud.

"Why do you want that?"

Riley looked up at her father. "Because that's the way it's supposed to be done. It's a day for me to be a princess." She clasped her hands in her lap with satisfaction and beamed.

"Is that what you want?" Maya was speaking again, halfway tilted in her seat to see huckleberry. "Me in some princess white dress?" She rose her brows.

Lucas swallowed. He was afraid of what she would do if he answered honestly.

"Let me tell you guys something," Mr. Matthews sighed. "Marriage is hard. It's more than just one day or a dress." He directed that line to Riley and she unclasped her hands. "But it's also not pointless." He looked at Maya. "Because how can anything that means something to two people be pointless? Maya, do you think your father married your mother thinking it wasn't something special? Because marriages don't always work out, but almost all of them start out with two people who believe in their devotion to each other."

Maya's eyes were wide and it was one of the few times Cory was sure she was listening, really listening to him and what he wanted her to learn.

"So," Cory held out his hands. "The assignment. I want you to pair up and walk through your plan for life. Budget the money you'll have from your potential career and what you're going to spend it on. Do you get married? If so, how much do you spend on it? Do you have kids? Do you travel? There's no better way to learn about yourselves, your priorities, and life. Go."

With a swift shirt, Riley faced Farkle. "We're spending all the money on the wedding."

"You want to blow my savings from being a billionaire scientist on one day?!" Farkle put his hands on the side of his head and tried to push his palms into his head, like he wanted to crush his skull. "What are you doing to me woman!"

"So," Lucas said.

Maya nodded. "So, let me guess—"

"I want to get married." There he had said it before she could.

She sat up, fighting excitement by fluttering her eyelashes. "I can see it now! Out rodeo wedding with me riding a horse down the aisle and you in a cowboy hat and a mechanical bull at the reception!"

"Really?"

"No." Her face fell flat. "We're not getting married."  
"Why not?"

"Lucas, all my money that I make working at the diner is going to my art. It's not going to some wedding where I'm going to spend hundreds of dollars on a dress and buy food to feed a hundred people."

"We have my money," he reminded. Neither of them had realized they were speaking like they we're already out on their own and living together, even though this was just a high school assignment. "Vets get paid well."

"What about all your doctorate program bills you need to pay off? We're going to be in debt and all our money should go to that. By the time we have money for a wedding, there will be no point."

"The point is that I love you and want to marry you," Lucas said and although it was sweet, it came out heated.

"My dad loved and wanted to marry my mom—"

"Will you stop?!" Lucas was getting fed up. "You're using that as an excuse to not marry me. What's the real reason you don't want to?"

Maya looked at Riley, just for a quick beat, but Lucas didn't miss it. Something was up, and Riley knew about it. He was missing the bigger picture because Maya was keeping a secret, a secret Riley had known from the time they were little girls.

But before he could force one of them into telling, the bell rang and Cory dismissed the class.


	23. Chapter 23

Lucas ran after Riley in the hallway, grabbing her by the elbow. "Hey, slow down."

She did, clutching her notebook against her chest. "Lucas, it's not my place."

"You're her best friend, you know that she should tell me and if she won't, you need to."

"I don't _need_ to do anything," Riley tucked hair behind her ear. "But, you didn't hear this from me: She thinks she''s bad luck for weddings."

"What?" Lucas frowned, wondering how that could be.

"I can't say much, but she thinks if she plans a wedding, it will all fall apart."

Lucas didn't understand.

"Just talk to her. She wants to get married— I know she does. Make her see that."

"Riley, I will, you know I will, but I need to know the whole problem to fix it. Why does she think she's bad luck?"  
Riley let out a breath. "At her uncles wedding, she was the flower girl and lost the flowers and ate the cake before it was time to without realizing it."

Lucas conjured up a baby Maya in his head, a blonde toddler with her hands and face covered in crumbs and icing. He chucked. "So? She was just a little kid, that doesn't mean anything."

"True," Riley agreed, "But at my parents vow renewal when we were ten, she hot glued rhinestones onto my mother's mother's wedding dress."

The warning bell rang.

"Look, I'm sure you've got a plan. Whatever it is, I'm in. Text me. In the meantime, talk some sense into Farkle. Why won't he be my prince?" She grumbled.

"He will be," Lucas assured, "But you need to tell him he's your prince regardless of if you're in a dress. Ill see you later." He stepped backwards and spun on his heels, heading for the guys locker room.

Riley stood, stunned. Did Farkle not know that he was already her prince? Even without tux, there was no one that made Riley feel more like a princess and that was what a prince did.

"She's driving me crazy man, but yeah, I'll do it," Farkle agreed to Lucas's plan. In a way, it was going to help both boys, or so Farkle hoped.

Lucas tossed Farkle a basketball. "Alright, thanks. Today I'll get stuff, so we'll do it tomorrow. Nothing can go wrong."

"It will, something always goes wrong with you and Maya, but that's you guys. It works."

"Riley really loves you dude. Seriously, you do want to marry her?"

"I'm not opposed to it— I mean, how could I be? Me and Riley forever, ruling the world…I can't think of anything better."

"So what's the problem?" Lucas went over and grabbed the basketball Farkle had been holding and took a shot. It swooshed in the net.

"The problem is that she wants it to be some extravaganza and afterwards it will be happily ever after. She already has such high expectations of me. I don't think I can handle any more."

Lucas laughed at that, harder than he had in a long time. Riley and Maya both turned from the girls grouped together on the other side of the gym, no doubt talking out their problems to the females.

"What's so funny?" Farkle asked and took a shot. It missed by a mile.

"You need to bring Riley down from her high expectations, and try to make your wedding less like the Macy's day parade, and I need to give maya hope and ask her to have a small party. We should switch girls."

Both boys paused, looking over at the two girls. Riley was cartwheeling and trying to cheerlead and Maya was laughing and looking at her nails painted dark purple. "Nah," they said in unison.


	24. Chapter 24

Riley was standing next to Lucas in a wedding dress, one she'd picked up from the thrift store, and it had Lucas's anxiety through the roof. He wasn't sure why, but seeing Riley in a white floor length gown, made him picture Maya in it, and picturing Maya made him worried that this wouldn't work. How was he supposed to convince her the she wasn't bad luck for weddings when this wasn't even a real wedding. And how was he supposed to make her feel safe with him and trust him? Although he secretly wished she wanted the same wedding he did, she wouldn't be Maya if she were anything but herself.

Farkle stepped into the classroom wearing a tux with a bow tie collar. Riley looked over, her eyes sparkling and both of them smiled in their goofy way. "Mrs. Soon to be Farkle Minkus," Farkle addressed and very over and took one of her hands. "You look like my first grade fantasy."

Lucas listened to the words and thought about how much Farkle had changed. He had gone from being a little goofball people made fun of to someone who was respected and thoughtful. But for all those changes, he had still loved Riley and he had won her over.

"I'm sorry we've been fighting so much lately," Farkle sighed. "Look at us. Getting married."

The class laughed. Riley's mouth turned up at the corners. "So we're getting fake married now, does that mean you want to get real married one day?"

Farkle closed his eyes and drew in a breath. "I want to make you happy, no matter what way it's achieved. If you want the biggest wedding of all time, that's what you're going to get."

Lucas saw tears shine in Riley's eyes. "I just want you, no matter what way it's achieved," she said and kissed him full on the mouth. The class let out a collective, "Awwwww."

"Oh be quiet," Riley said and was about to go on when another voice cut in.

"Lucas? What's going on?"

It was Maya. The group of students scurried into position, Yogi at the head of the aisle holding a textbook that he was pretending to read from. Farkle and Riley attached the hands they hadn't been holding, so they were band together by their links arms.

"Riley, do you take Farkle to be your highschool husband."

"I do."

"Farkle, do you take Riley to be your highschool wife?"

"I do."

"You may now kiss," Yogi finished and they did. Not that Lucas could see. He was staring at Maya watching her reaction. He half expected her to bolt out of the door or come over and hit him for setting such a stupid thing up.

Instead, she came over to him, smiling. "What is this huckleberry?"

"This," Lucas put an arm around her, "was the quickest fake wedding ever. But you didn't mess anything up. And i will marry you next to a dumpster if thats what you want." He heard how weird that sounded, but it was true. He would follow this girl anywhere. They'd been through so much: Charlie and Josh and Riley and Maya's dad and all the other little fights.

"A dumpster? No way. We can do better than that, Chucky Cheese maybe?"

"If you're there, I'm there."

Maya rolled her eyes. "You're so serious, but real talk, I was coming here today to tell you I think we should get married. Not now," she passed a glance to Riley and Farkle, "but after you're out of school and I get my first artworks published. It won't be anything big, but it'll have all the people we care about. I'll even wear a white dress. Maybe some cowgirl boots."

Lucas grinned just picturing it.

"Is there cake?" She raised a brow.

Riley picked up the chocolate with white icing cake she'd made. It was Maya's favorite. "Happy fake wedding, Riles," Maya snickered.

"Happy real love, peaches."

Farkle and Lucas looked at each other with a glint of happiness. They had their girls. Lucas picked Maya up and she ate cake on his lap and Riley sat beside Farkle, playfully nudging his shoulder. None of them knew if things would last forever, but they had this moment in time to be together and that was all that mattered.

END.


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